Red Shoes For Rwanda

Swapped My Shoes for Hospital Reg. Non-Skid Socks

2011-03-05T04:46:00.028+02:00

NOTE: IF YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER VIA EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION, PLEASE CLICK LINK TO BLOG TO SEE FULL ARTICLE/PHOTOS & MORE...

RED SHOES FOR RWANDA BLOG LINK

Hi! So, yes, I do realize it has been, ah-hem..."awhile".

First of all, I would like to thank all of you who sent in your end of the year RSFR pledges, and thank you to everyone who has sent in notes/emails/letters saying they will send in the rest of their pledge if and when they can. I have kept every single card, note or letter from all of you this past year. Your encouraging me to hang in there and to keep wearing red shoes through 2010 helped me along this journey.

Secondly, I would like to apologize for not keeping up on my blog as I had set out with the intent of doing when starting RSFR in January of 2010. Sometimes life throws us curve balls, and we can't always catch them. I feel like I had a few of those thrown my way this past year, but life is good! I am pleased with the amount of money we all raised to send in to World Vision to help Rwandan Children in need.

I had not planned on a cross country move when I started my red shoe charity venture, and that most definitely put a crimp on my shoe sale plans. I had wanted to have all of the shoes we purchased at cheap/discounted prices, (or those that were gifted to me or sent in as a donation) to sell for profit by being photographed & listed on either eBay or Craigslist by the end of December. Well, due to packing/storage room, I had to leave most of the shoes in Washington, unable to take them to California. (Trust me...I tried, but at Christmas time we were returning home from WA with gifts, two kids, two dogs, one cat, a hamster & luggage and there was just not one inch of space left for red shoes!) So, we are driving back to Washington for a week (leaving tomorrow) and I will be listing them all for sale in/on one venue or another and packing them up and bringing them "home" to California with me. If they do not sell, my husband has offered to put up a donation for the shoes to send in to World Vision as another gift, and then I will donate them to another charity...two good deeds in one fell swoop, and a nice big ADIOS to this pile of red footwear once and for all!

NOTE:If, over the course of the past year you have seen any red shoes on the blog that you are interested in owning, please contact me and let me know. I wear a size 8.5-9 medium, and I am willing to set shoes aside for serious potential buyers, or even to put them on a "lay-away" plan for you! :)

I have learned LOTS this past year and through this venture. I am sick of red shoes, but don't hate them. In fact, there are a few pair I will keep forever to shoe my (hopefully) grand kids someday!
I learned that I can do pretty much anything I set my mind towards doing. I learned that even the best laid plans can blow up in your face. I learned that part of why I wanted to do this project was a bit of selfish contrition that I needed to release and let go of and realize that I can not pay for past screw ups I have made for the rest of my life, especially not like this. God is a God of forgiveness, and I have learned that I have been released, and it is a freedom that was not found through wearing shoes for charity.

Between our move to California, home schooling my son, my daughter leaving for college, (and then deciding to do her second semester in Thailand) I had too much on my plate and mind. I was also concerned for the security and health of my parents and their move West. My body was not reacting well to the stress and I began experiencing over-whelming pangs of anxiety this past winter. I saw a doctor and was put on several medications. These medications did not help, but in fact made symptoms much worse. I was feeling confused, disoriented, and more anxious than ever. I could not drive, teach or remember even the most simple instructions. To make a very long and personal story short, I was admitted to the ER in January.
The combination of medication and amounts of them that I had been prescribed was apparently very dangerous and my body was not reacting well. I was told it would be wise to admit myself to the hospital to be watched closely (there was talk and concern of seizures or even death) and that is what my husband and I thought was best. So I was in the hospital for four days and as a patient, demanded that some changes be made, starting with my refusing to take anymore of these drugs. It was one of the scariest things I have ever experienced in my life, since stopping them "cold turkey" was dangerous in itself, and the withdrawl symptoms were incredibly painful. But, within 48 hours I felt like what I imagine coming out of a coma must feel like. First article of business: FIRE my doctor. More than two other doctors said they had never seen anything like this, and thank God I was okay. I did not speak of this or blog about any of this in January, because by then my daughter was over sea's and I did not want to warrant unnecessary worries or concerns on my behalf. I do want to thank all of those who held me up in their prayers and thoughts during this time. I have been seeing a therapist who is helping me work through some of my anxiety issues. Letting my child leave for school and a move on top of that just proved to be a bit too much stress for me to handle on my own. Ironically, my daughter is doing exactly what I hoped she would do. She is giving her time and talents to those in need in Thailand. She is helping the developmentally disabled learn how to express themselves through theater arts. Seeing her leave the nest tempted me to clip her wings, but she was made to fly and I am happy to have learned more skills on how best to handle my stressors . I am learning I can't do everything for everyone or be everything to everyone. I am reminded daily that God is in control. Amazingly, the earth has not fell off of its' axis, either. :) (Weird!) One of my final steps in wrapping up my medical issues is to see a neurologist to make sure that everything is okay as I am still having a lot of short term memory loss.

I am going to see a neurologist to make sure that everything is okay as I am still having a lot of short term memory loss. LOL!! :) II know I wrote that twice, I'm kidding!) No, seriously, any prayers on my brains behalf would be appreciated and I am hoping there has not been any long term damage sustained.

Well, with all of that being "said", I wanted to show off the picture of the check to World Vision, and some of the other thank you notes and pictures that I have not posted yet. In my head I have tallied up the final amount that I would love to see be sent in to World Vision (after the shoe sale, and when others have sent the remainder of their pledges in), and I hope the figure to be around the $4000-4500.00 mark. We shall see what the rest of the new year brings! It is not to late to donate more if you feel led, and if anything, this project sparked a new passion between my husband and myself...an ultimate goal of setting up a non-profit organization and sponsorship for a orphanage....someday, somewhere. Oooooooh la la! It makes me so excited at the possiblities! Hmmmm......Blue Shoes for Bosnia? Yellow shoes for Yemen?..... Who knows!?!

Blessings to you and yours and best wishes in 2011.

Humbly Yours,

Sheridan ~

FOR YOUR OWN PAIR OF NON-SKID SWEET STANDARD ISSUE HOSPITAL SOCKS, CLICK HERE! ( I think they may even come in red.)

Letter to World Vision International. I was in the hospital, so my husband actually typed this up (with my approval) and mailed this in for me. Thanks honey!

CHECK TO WORLD VISION!

WORLD VISION RESPONSE LETTER AND RECEIPT

ANOTHER NOTE FROM WORLD VISION REP. IN BAY AREA, CA

WORLD VISION LETTER RECEIVED AFTER ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED

FRONT COVER OF WINTER 2010 MAGAZINE

WORLD VISION MAGAZINE ARTICLE

THANK YOU! XXOO

NOW JUST FOR FUN:

RED SHOE PHOTO'S I HAVE COLLECTED AND GLUED INTO MY JOURNAL THIS PAST YEAR (FOUND FROM MAGAZINES, LETTERS & VARIOUS SOURCES) ENJOY!

my journal from my hubby! :)

I thought to myself: "This picture and this woman would look complete & so fabulous if she had red shoes on"...I look to the right of the picture where her feet are propped up and TA-DA!!!! Smart Girl! :)

These "duck" shoes would be perfect for Quilcene, but at $300 a pop, I don't think so :)

This little girl reminded me of my own little Cecily playing dress up with her mama's shoes!

One of my favorite looks.

Some perfect fitting note cards I picked up at Barnes and Noble!

I adore this picture!

One of our promotional cards.

A sweet note from my mama.

Promo Card.

Another Promo Post Card sent out.

My hand sanitizer of choice from Bath and Body Works! I bought several to stock up! :)

Pop up shoe book found in Sonoma, CA.

I love the calenders my daughters boyfriend gives me for Christmas! Perfect!

A sweet red retro bracelet that my Darling Hubby bought me as a gift in Sonoma, CA.

It says, "Love Conquers All"....how true, how true.

CECILY LEAVING FOR THAILAND:

One Last Late Night Airport Hug~

The shoes I wear nowdays are a mix of fun and colors, but I won't ever give up red forever!

Every time I see a red shoe it reminds me of my journey through 2010 and how we made an impact on some childs life in Rwanda. God Bless You!

Love, Sheridan~

Yanked Out the Old File of Christmas Cards.....

2010-12-10T19:29:00.001+02:00

And Found the crazy afore-mentioned one I told you about. It really is the perfect afternoon art project if you are the type who has the sense of humor my friends and I do. (or don't, whatever....I just love using glue).

Enjoy, and Happy Friday! Remember we are STILL doing RED SHOED FRIDAYS for SUPPORT!
Everyone who has EVER sent in a photo of themselves wearing red shoes on Friday in support of the RSFR project will be getting a little commemorative something sent to them in January.
Love and Red Shoed Kisses to You and Yours!
xxoo
Sheri~~~

THE PERFECT FAMILY FROM THE SPIEGEL OR MONTGOMERY WARDS (OR WHATEVER CATALOG) PHOTOGRAPH:

THE ACTUALLY REAL "PERFECT" FAMILY FROM MY KITCHEN TABLE TO YOURS PHOTOGRAPH:

Feels like a partial Holiday Letter Going out early...

2010-12-10T03:41:00.001+02:00

...But it isn't. I just have not made/had time for blogging for several weeks. I really hope this doesn't read like one of those Happy Happy Jolly Jolly edited life letters that folks seem compelled to mail out annually. Some are brilliant, warm and cherished, some smell like rythmes with shmoop, because you know that they have taken out all of the mundane crap of daily life & only told you about their straight A+ Disneyworld, promotion,augmentated, shrouded in some way lives. I guess that is what makes a Christmas Letter so hilarious though. We even like to make popcorn and save them up for a night of it! (Oh, c'mon I'm just kidding! (sort of!). One year I was so overwhelmed with my daughters classes and son being in the terrible two stage, I just tore out a picture of a family from the Spiegel catalog that looked,well....Perfect. Perfect, pristine, and ridiculous. Then I punched out the faces of the little boy, sweet daughter, husband and calm wife who looked like she had bought and wrapped her gifts back in August and taped our smiley, funny, normal ass life faces into where the holes of theirs had been. There. A little elmers glue, sprawled across the bottom, "From our Perfect Family to Yours" and we were good to go. Seriously. I should dig up that photo. These stepford kids are sitting on a cream colored chenile devan with CARAMELED APPLES. It is truly absurd, yet I remember somewhere in my head thinking if we could be like this family, life could be perfect. Man have I grown up a bit!!!! I am thinking of doing something similar this year. I saw a photo of two teen-agers and some parents on a new Has-bro game that looked like our faces a decade and a half from the last one that we could fit into. Humpf.

So, since we have "chatted" last, I have done quite a bit of traveling. My son and I decided to fly to Montana to help my parents wrap up everything they pretty much own into a truck and closed down the house that I lived a brief part of my child hood in, but that my father built with his own two hands and said goodbye to over twenty-five years of sticks and stones and stuff that broke some bones and fields and shelves and ladders and trees and and rusty things that did hurt me. My parents are heading out on an adventure. Guess where to? My house. Yep. Weird, weird, weird. They finally decide to move after we are moved to California. They are staying at our house in Washington while looking for the perfect castle of their own in which to live out the latter years of their lives. It all sounds much more macabre and sad than it is when you put it in those terms, really. Let's re-write that. They can boat, fish, swim, dance, smell, bounce, dive, drive, work, garden, fly, and get moldy til their oldy in good old Washington State. Got some grand-kids there to enjoy and now we will be going back and forth more often than not to visit I am sure. It is nice knowing someone is in our house right now, watching it, keeping it warm, keeping my books company and the tea kettle from breaking down, making sure the wheel barrow stays ambulitory and that the recliner still gets its daily rock in. Nice indeed.
So after Jacob and I helped clean and pack and said good byes to family friends with tears and cheers and well wishes, my brother (who had also flown in, except from Seattle) helped drive my dad's pickup and trailer and their SUV back to Washington, while my uncle who runs a 18 wheeler got their 24 foot long trailer full things in their life that is important to them up on to the flatbed ( you read that right) tied a big bow around the outside and then drove the sucker out to Tacoma and off loaded on some ramp. The truck now is in our field (mountain side, front forty), enjoying her a nice view of the Olympics. Not one neighbor minds her being there either. Quilcene is the type of place where women apparently crotchet in their swimming suits while sun-bathing in pig pens, (swear I heard this), or drive run down golf carts with gun racks that hold chain saws mounted to the back of the cart awning to the grocery store in their boxer shorts and logging boots for a six pack a Schlitz. So, yeah, we don't really need mom and dad to be in a hurry, and they really could just stay there as long as needed. No problemo.
SO, after getting them settled in our house, my husband drove up from California and we spent about two weeks just spending time together in Quilcene, house hunting with the folks, and the boys did some duck hunting. I soaked in some of the fall magnificent scenery, because California still had not "changed", and I do so love the fall season. Then my son and husband and I drove back to California where we settled back into a routine for a week or so until it was time for our daughter to take the train up from Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving break. It was SO wonderful to see her! I miss her so much every day, and it really never does get easier. Jake is slowly getting to know some new kids through scouts and it is always great when Jasper shows up (Cecily's beau) to spend time with him before heading back to Washington. We hope to spend Christmas in Washington, but at this point it depends on the road factor. There are a couple of nasty passes along those highways, so weather permitting, we will head North. If not, it will be a nice quiet Christmas in our new California home, celebrating all of the bounty God has blessed us with this year. Our daughter is doing a semester in Thailand and leaves at the beginning of January. As a mom, I am having to really give all of my anxiety up to God and know that she is in his hands, trusting HIM that she is exactly where he wants her to be.
I will try to let my story play out in some photo's I will post....bear with me if some are just silly personal ones for cause of posterity....remember, this is my journal after all ! :)
As far as the red shoes are going, boy oh boy am I ready to be done for awhile. I miss color! It is funny how "dull" red can seem after you wear it day in and day out! Isn't that just the oddest thing!?! I do love the project though, and am so thankful for the checks that still come in, however slowly, and I am praying that more people will find some deeper pocket foffers of their hearts this holiday season to help the children of Rwanda. It was very exciting to see the article come out in the World Vision Magazine! Please check it out if you have not yet done so. My husband and I are determined more than ever to now to do more financially to reach out to those in need and perhaps even look at starting some sort of shelter/orphanage when we retire.
Thanks so much again, Love and RED shoed Kisses!!! :)
xxoo Sheri

<-------Boy have I worn these a lot! :)

Mom & Dad's "old" porch

<---The ole' bulk-head & some tomatoes I still had high hopes for so we loaded them to Washington....they turned RED! :) Must be shoe magic!

A hazy Montana fall day.

<----back of the folks place.

Let's rake, Jake!

Only if I can jump in, mom!

:) He actually threw me down too, but my mom has those pictures on her camera being held hostage!

<----Goodbye Garden Shed.

<-------Goodbye pretty red rake.

He is SO CUTE! C'mon mom! No more pictures!!!!

UGH....Tired. Dirty. Sad.

<----Good bye sweet house on Creek Drive!

More of Washington & then our California Thanksgiving to come....
Life is GOOD! Hope you are having a lovely season! :)

What's New & My Week of Torpid Telly Watching

2010-10-19T03:00:00.000+02:00

The past week of my life seems to have vanished. The Friday before last, my husband, son and I raced to pick up Cecily and her boyfriend Jasper in Santa Barbara which is five 1/2 hours from where we live. They are too young to rent a car, so couldn't drive home, and she really wanted to stay with us for her fall break extended weekend. I wasn't shocked that my husband would do this for his "baby girl", but for no one else, that I am sure of! We arrived there around seven p.m. and then turned right around within twenty minutes and headed back to our neck of the woods. It was a looooong day, but so worth it since we had the privilege of enjoying the company of the kids for three days.

While the boys played with guns (well, you know what I mean) and did boy things, Cess and I lunched and shopped (naturally) and talked and talked and talked. Oh how I missed her companionship and her quirky sense of humor!

We ate lots of yummy food (they requested Thai food of all things!) and I made every request from home made deep dish macaroni and cheese to blueberry pie.

Sometime Saturday afternoon, I started to develop a severe headache and my nose closed off all stuffy and dry. I do not usually have sinus issues, so dismissed it as allergy problems. By the next morning it was quite painful, and it was obvious I had either a sinus infection or bad head cold that had hit quickly.
We dropped the kids off at the train station on Monday and they took the train back to school. It was much easier to say goodbye this time, knowing that we would see each other soon for Thanksgiving break, but nevertheless there were tears on my part yet again.
After we returned home, I basically crashed on the sofa and set up camp there for the next five days in pj's with my water bottles and Kleenex. My husband had a out of town business trip to go to, so he was gone and it was just Jake and I for the week. Jake came down with the same bug and we were just miserable together.

During the week of recuperation, I tried to read, but it hurt my head. I slept a lot, and watched waaaaay to much television. In fact, my brain started to feel mushy around Thursday, but that didn't stop me from watching re-runs of Laverne and Shirley, old episodes of The Newly Wed Game, or basically any movie playing with Morgan Freeman in it. I am also now in love with The Food Network.

Have you seen the show "Chopped"? It is hosted by the dapperly dressed Tim Allen who is so swank and suave he makes most of the men on the ~~show~~ ney, planet, look like savage louts. As pretty as the former wine specialist for the show "Queer Eye" is to look at, his nasally pitched monotone voice is so nerdy and annoying I almost turned the program off. However, I didn't and now I am an adherent devotee.
Anyways, the premise of the show is this:
Four chefs of various levels of expertise, from sous chefs to personal chefs, to self -taught-no-less-thank- you-very-much chefs, all compete for a monetary prize and the coveted title of the cook who didn't get chopped. CHECK OUT THE SHOW:
It is all very dramatic, with three judges who are well known in the culinary world circle, bravely tasting the dishes of the three courses each chef prepares within a certain time limit, rating them on creativity, taste, and presentation of their dishes.
Here is where it gets interesting. For each round, each contestant is given a basket containing ingredients that must be incorporated into the dish they are preparing. So, for instance, for the appetizer round, the basket may contain monk fish, beef jerky, guava and corn chips.
For the entree round, the basket may contain something like: octopus, goat liver, feta cheese and Bing cherry puree.
For the dessert round, the basket may contain something like: Cheese doodles, tortilla shells, mango chutney and Stilton. You get the idea....unrelated items that need to be combined & prepared by the contestants into something mouth watering and delicious. They have a "pantry" and "refrigerated" area from which to select sides and staples with which to create their dish. And let me tell ya, them judges be PICK-eeeee! Whew! You had best not serve them undercooked mackerel with cotton candy glazed peas that are over boiled . And don't you dare drizzle your graham cracker encrusted wedge of pepperoni with a coulee of beet juice if it ain't sugared just so.
But I have to tell ya, most of the time I just sit there and think:

Oh PA-Leeeeze! That's the challenge?

Part of what I find so intrinsically entertaining about this whole show is the fact that they are certainly not re-inventing the wheel. There is a version of the show for the non-professional crackerjack cooking mom played nightly 'round the world. It's called "What's for Dinner?", and for a lot of folks it gets the most tricky around the 28th through the 31st of each month.

Hmmmm....let's see. I have a half a pound of burger, a can of cannolli beans, a box of corn muffin mix, some pickle juice and some taco seasoning. What's for dinner?
Or...I have half a container of cottage cheese, some shriveled peaches, 3 red-skin potatoes, some rice and left over chicken. What's for dinner?
Or...I have four hot-dogs, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a box of ziti pasta, cherry jello and some cucumbers. What's for dinner?
See...homey can play that game, no problem! :)

Tonight though, I am fortunate enough to feast on artichokes with lemon creme, rotisserie chicken, salad and Malbec. I feel like a queen, and we are so blessed to have so much food in our country! Don't forget that, and I hope you dine with a thankful heart this evening.

I wanted to thank two donor's very much for their very generous gifts to Red Shoes for Rwanda. Mary Anne and my cousin Kelsi Ann. Thank you from the bottom of my red shoed heart. I stand amazed at some
of the discipline and resolute giving of pledges that people have agreed to make from the start of this project and that are faithfully carried out each month. If everyone pitches in before the holiday season, I think we can raise several hundred more dollars for the Rwandan children we are so honored to be able to help.
Thank you for your diligence and heart,
Sheri~~

Exodus Maximus 2 Santer Barburus

2010-10-08T19:04:00.000+02:00

Ahhhh. A supreme departure. Paramount to our move, I believe this is the most exciting day that
John, Jake and I have looked forward to since we dropped Cecily off at college 40 some odd days (but who is counting!) ago.
Jasper took the train to Santa Barbara from Seattle, which involves a slip shod time line that is more abomidable than taking a Grey Hound without air conditioning in August from Billings to Bozeman, and got in yesterday.

We are going to go pick them up and then head back to our neck of the woods to spend a nice long weekend before they take a train back to Santa Barbara. I hope there will be time for chats, bike rides and more, but I know it will fly by, so I will cherish every moment.

To say we are anxious to see our daughter/sister is a mass understatement. I have never been separated from my child for this long. It has been a good break...watching from not to afar, but just far enough; our daughter start to come into her own.

You would think that I was going to hire a maid service the way I have been cleaning the house from top to bottom! ( Please tell me I am not the only one who would clean my house before having someone else come clean it. That is not neurosis, it is called self respect, darling...) Her room is all clean and welcoming with some fresh cut pink carnations at her bedside table and Jake cleaned and even vacumed his room up in honor of Jasper's arrival. (He is VERY excited.)

So, what else do you know me to do when someone I love is on the homebound trail? BAKE! COOK! Show my adoration and appreciation of them through the benefaction of vittles. Jake and I poured over some recipes and ideas. I wanted the menu for our weekend to be completely "homey" and comfort laden.

So, we began with "snacks". We "whipped up" (can you ever really whip up candies?) some Fleur de Sel Toasted Almond Caramels & also a Mixed Nut Brittle. We thought these would be scrumptious to munch on with popcorn during a movie or while playing a game this weekend with the kids. They are so far out of this world taste wise that eating a piece is more of an experience or "moment". I had to make Jake hide them from me.

Then I got to the task of mixing up a batch of bread dough for some rolls to go with home made deep dish four cheese macaroni (in the freezer ready to go) and some individual sized meatloaves.
Cecily loves pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, so we will most likely make those together later and I'll fix a traditional roast supper or let them choose a restaurant or something on Sunday.

Family, Food and Fun....the wonderful blessings of life!
In my tote and ready to go, I have my camera ready, my Kindle stocked with new books for the ride down to S.B. & back, and some back up batteries in case we run into any celebrity sightings....(you know...like Pat Sajak or someone....)
stacks of magazines, snacks, water bottles, kleenex and a change of black pret-a-porter travel clothes in case my outfit gets doused in tears and snot later this afternoon when I see our little baby big girl. Lizzie has been scrubbed free of her nasty can't help being part cockerspaniel eye boogers and the bathroom has plenty of fresh fluffy white bath sheets, rose scented wrapped soaps I picked up in China town and our stockings were hung by the chimney with care...so I guess their is nothin' left to do but go pick the darlings up!

I'll keep you posted on our family weekend. To Joanie: I'll send you photo's, feed & love on your boy :)
To Kellie and Kim P, and Jenn: Thank you for the wonderful ideas over the past month on how to make the college transition easier (on the mom, of course!) and ideas for making their (the kid) homecomings special. I appreicate your support. I love you, you're the best!

Now I know why my mom looks so giddy when I go "home" to visit. :)

Sheridan~
xxoo

The Queen of Hearts is All Thai'ed Up

2010-10-05T03:38:00.001+02:00

&lt< Final Draft 10-04-2010>lt&

Do you ever have something odd happen that just makes you smile? Do you remember that tortilla I grilled a few months back that had a smiley face burned right into the middle of it in perfect form? Smile.
(You can look that up in the blog archives if you haven't seen it!)

Well, check this one out. The other night my sweet husband knew I wasn't feeling well and came upstairs to tell me he had started a bubble bath for me and would make me some tea. He also brought me a glass of Malbec and accidentally spilled a tiny little plip-plop right on my desk before setting the glass down. This is what the adorable little dripplet looked like:

<---A perfect tiny heart! I was so childishly delighted by this that I literally SQUEALED! I still haven't washed off the spill and it is still a little dried up Malbec heart that makes me smile.

You all know how I collect hearts and how much I like them. This just put a smile on my face for the rest the day. Of course John said, " I totally meant to do that for you!"

By the way, if you will indulge me, I would like to say a Happy Birthday to my one and only love!

John, I hope all your wishes come true this year! I love you! xxoo

Another question posed: Do you ever just get "hooked" on a certain food for awhile? (Probably not. I'm weird.) I have done this pretty much all of my adult life. (Even when I was a kid I would go through "spurts" of lusting after one food and one only for weeks. I remember one such time when all I wanted or craved was VERY soggy Bran Chex sprinkled with Cinnamon & sugar, or then it was dry, uncooked and unflavored Ramen Noodles.....See, weird.)

I will cook/crave Italian for a solid two weeks, get sick of it and change to something else cuisine wise. My mom used to say that when you are craving a certain food (like pregnant women are wont to do) your body is probably in need of the nutrients that particular food item contains. (YES, chocolate counts because of its' high levels of antioxidants....but ONLY the dark stuff...). I just CAN'T seem to get enough Thai food lately! I am pretty much cooking my way through a recipe book I bought at a thrift store called, Simply Thai Cookbook.

The recipes are pretty simple, just mostly prep work and it is easy to make one dish meals. It is also economical if you are watching your grocery budget, because you get carbs from the rice or noodles, veggies, protein of some sort (meat, tofu or both) calcium in the nuts that a lot of the recipes call for (and some of the veggies, too) and there is usually some sort of fruit in the recipes used as well. Now normally I could never eat all of those food groups together without having a noisy party in my tummy with uninvited guests, but this seems to be pretty easy on the digestive system , if that is a concern at all for you like it is for me.

The first recipe I made is: MOO KRATIAM (Thai Garlic Pork)

(I will share all I have made so far, and I encourage you to try them out on your families! )

10 oz trimmed pork tenderloin

1 tbsp chopped garlic

2 tbsp soya sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sugar

5 tsp vegetable oil

Lettuce Leaves (as flat as possible)

Strips of Red Pepper

Fresh coriander leaves

Thai Sweet and Sour Sauce

Cucumber Salad ( I will give you that recipe as well).

1. Slice tenderloin into even strips.

(aprox. 2" long by 1" wide)

2. Put pieces on a large plate and sprinkle the garlic, soya, pepper & sugar on them evenly.

Let it marinate at least 5 minutes or up to a half an hour.

3 Heat oil in a wok (or frying pan) until it is just about to smoke. Add pork and spread it out on the oil to brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the meat and transfer to a plate, discarding as much of the oil as possible.

4. Line a serving plate with lettuce pieces and wrap pork in the lettuce leaves (soft taco style).

Let people add red pepper & coriander (cilantro) leaves, and accompany them with Thai Sweet and Sour Sauce and Cucumber Salad. YUM! I mean MOOOOO! LOL!!!

This salad is delicious. It is so fresh and tangy... sort of tart and sweet at the same time!

CUCUMBER SALAD

10 inch English cucumber (the long seedless kind) peeled and chopped

1/2 small red onion

1/3 medium red pepper

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp white rice vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Chop veggies. Set aside. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well, then add vegetables to

the dressing and toss until coated.

THAI SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp soya sauce

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce

1 tbsp chopped garlic

Heat the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan on high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Add soya and salt and stir. Cook at moderate heat for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens somewhat. Remove from the fire. Add chili-garlic sauce and the garlic. Stir to blend and let cool. Serve as a dipping sauce.

KAI HIMA PARN ( One of our favorites, Cashew Nut Chicken)

10 oz boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 medium red pepper

1/2 orange (large)

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp lime juice

2 tbsp chili paste

2/3 cup roasted cashews ( I used salted)

Coriander leaves, chopped

2 1/2 cups fresh steamed rice (such as Jasmine or basmati)

1. Slice the chicken into strips about 1"w x 2" l

2. Cut pepper into 1" squares I threw in green pepper as well...make it your own!

3. Cut orange into wedges aprox. 1/2" chunks (Now the recipe says to leave the skin on, but I know my family would find that way to bitter, so I segmented them out without the skin on and used them that way, then added a bit of orange zest from the skin to the recipe. It was heavenly!)

All prepped makes for easy cooking!

4. Heat oil in a wok on high until it is just about to smoke.

Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add reserved chicken and soya and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken has started to turn white and the oil sizzles around it.

5. Add lime juice and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Add reserved orange and pepper pieces as well as the chili paste, and stir fry for 30 seconds to distribute evenly. Add cashew nuts and stir fry for 1 minute, until everything is mixed together and appears shiny and ready to eat (seriously, the book says that).

Transfer to a serving dish, top with the fresh coriander and serve immediately with steamed rice.

<-----So healthful & scrumptious!

Okay next off...The much beloved dishes of all dishes and if you are going to master one and one only Thai dish, put all of your energy and focus into this one, baby......(you know, but drum roll anywhoo)....

PHAD THAI (TAA_DAAAA!_

8 oz Thai rice noodles ( I didn't feel like driving all over town looking for them, and we live in a mostly Hispanic area now and I couldn't find them the last time I searched for them, so I successfully substituted buckwheat noodles in the past, or whole wheat semolina spaghetti noodles 1/2'ed too.)

1/4 cup tamarind paste (again, couldn't find this item. I would suggest agave nectar or orange juice or even peach baby food)

1/4 cup warm water

4 oz skinless boneless chicken breast

4 oz fried tofu

6 tbsp roasted peanuts (we like salt, so again, I used salted)

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

8 large shelled and deveined shrimp ( I don't like shrimp in this dish, so I always order it without them or leave them out when I make this. I just think it gives it an off putting flavour, but to each their own!)

2 eggs

1 c. bean sprouts (you can used canned if needed)

2 stems of chopped green onions

1/2 tsp roasted chilies ( I just used chili sauce (Rooster Sauce) because we like spice, but you can omit the chili all together or add more crushed chili flakes if you want to up the heat ante. Your choice!) :)

Strips of red pepper

Fresh Cilantro (coriander) leaves

Wedges of Lime

Extra chopped peanuts (I use a lot. My family loves the taste and crunch).

Now, this looks like a lot of steps, but it is really easy so don't get discouraged or skip this recipe!

1. Soak noodles in plenty of cold water for at least an hour (if you are using spaghetti, skip this step but prepare spaghetti noodles according to package directions, drain, add 1 tsp. oil, toss and set aside. The oil should prevent the noodles from sticking together while you prepare the rest of the dish).

2. Combine tamarind (or substitute) with a 1/4 c. warm water in a small bowl and let it soak for at least 15 minutes. If using orange juice, set aside.

3. Slice the chicken up into 1/4" strips.

4. Slice the pre fried tofu into 3/4 inch cubes and set aside.

5. Blend or process peanuts into coarse meal and reserve. (This is when I chop about another 1/2 c. up coarsely and reserve for topping)

6. Add the tamarind or its substitute to to the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Beat thoroughly to mix and set aside.

7. Heat oil in wok or frying pan until just to the smoking point. Add garlic and stir letting it cook for about 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir fry for 1 minute. Add tofu and shrimp (or not) and stir fry one more minute.

Now break the eggs into the wok on top of everything and stir fry (scramble) for 1-2 minutes.

8. While the eggs cook, add noodles to pan or wok and give them a quick fold in, stir frying for one minute from the bottom up. Add the reserved juices and continue stir frying, mixing everything together for another 1-2 minutes. Your noodles should be a tad softer than al dente.

9. Add the peanuts and stir. Add bean sprouts and onions and stir fry 30 seconds then remove from the heat.

10. Transfer noodles to serving dish and sprinkle roasted chilies (if desired) on top or use chili sauce. Top with more ground peanuts (if desired) and some fresh coriander leaves and fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top and serve immediately so you can watch everyone gobble it up and enjoy! :)

This is a photo from the cookbook, because I forgot to take one for the blog when I made it. YUM (minus those pesky shrimp; it's odd, because shrimp are one of my favorite foods. )

SHOES I AM WEARING LATELY:

They are a brighter burgundy than they look online. SO CUTE, NO?

STUFF I HAVE BEEN DIGGING LATELY:

Aveeno Stress Relief Lotion

This smells SO GOOD! It relaxes with the calming scents of lavender, ylang-ylang and chamomile and just makes you think of soft delicious flannel pajama's or warm fluffy sheets out of the dryer. It is yummy!

It also has Colloidal oatmeal in it, which helps with skin irritations.

Evian Natural Mineral Water Facial Spray

This may seem a bit indulgent, and I thought twice before buying it, but it has been a skin saver for my skin which was so dry after moving to California from Washington that it literally started to crack. This moisturizes and takes off makeup too. It feels like a very fine refreshing mist. My kids and husband love it too!

OPI WILLIAM TELL ME ABOUT OPI

A dark vampy campy maroonish black color that will be perfect for fall. It is a creme which I favor, because when you are over 20 you should not be putting anything glittery or sparkly on your nails unless you want to look like an older person striving to look like a 20 year old. (Trust me, everyone else is thinking that it looks ridiculous). I haven't actually used this yet because it still feels a bit to "summerish" here in Cali to wear something so dark and moody. I love it!

ROMANCING THE ORDINARY

(A YEAR OF SIMPLE SPLENDOR BY SARA BAN BREATHNACH )

You all know how much I love her writing. There is something just fabulous about this book that makes me think of "fall" in particular, although I enjoy reading it year round. Through her simple writings she encourages to get back in touch with sight, sound, scent, taste and touch and your sense of knowing and wonder.

Pick up a copy and enjoy!

http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Ordinary-Year-Simple-Splendor/dp/0743218779

SELF EXPLANATORY

HOPE YOU HAD A RED SHOED LOVELY DAY~

SHERIDAN XXOO

My Rose Colored Glasses Broke Again

2010-10-03T22:04:00.001+02:00

Dear Readers,
Blogger has yet again not posted some of my html correctly. I re-entered text and photo's and have to publish this again so it will post correctly on the actual blog.
I apologize for any inconvinence this causes you, my readers, as I realize if you are signed up for a subscription that you will receive what seems to be a duplicate each time I have to correct something and re-publish. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
I appreciate your subscription, but highly recommend that when you receive a new post you just go straight to the blog to read it. It "reads" better than in email format in my opinion.
Cheers!
Sheridan~

Hi Everybody! Hope you all are doing well this beautiful fall weekend. If you have been wearing your red shoes in support of this fund raising project, please keep sending photo's of them too me. It is such an encouragement to me and just knowing that the awareness is growing warms my heart! You guys are terrific!

I will be posting those that have come in the past month and what I am wearing lately on a post this week.

Now, do you recognize any of these women?

You should, because if you were like most Americans they were in your living room for over a decade.

Okay, how about when they were a bit younger?

Uh huh! I thought so. You would have to be from another planet to not know that these women played the character roles of Mary, Laura, Carrie, Ma and Nellie on "The Little House on the Prairie" series.

CLICK HERE FOR A BLAST FROM THE PAST

Now first let me start by saying that I was a LHOTP Fanatic. Groupie. Disciple. Devotee. Junkie..... you get the idea. I watched the very first pilot when I was in first grade and was hooked. I used to want to have Mary's hair but Laura's spunk. I wanted to know how to make Johnny cakes and what black strap molasses and salt pork tasted like and I wanted Mr. Edward's to teach me how to spit like a man. I wanted grosgrain robin's egg blue ribbon's to put at the end of my braids while wearing my Sunday best, and since I deplored elementary school, learning from a primer with a very small amount of students seemed like it would have been rather romantic. Big Tommy trying to save your hair from getting dipped in the ink well by that little turd Davey. Or being asked by Johnny to sit outside by him for lunch sharing a lunch pail and dreams before we carved a big heart and J+S= Love on the huge oak tree that had accounts of many young lovers sworn faithfulness dug deeply into the trunk. I had every book in the series....Farmer Boy, By the Banks of Plum Creek...all of them, bonnets, a sleeping cap, a Laura Ingall's doll, and a flannel dress fashioned from the Butterick Pattern No. 4569 sewn by my mom that I wore to sing in my first solo at our Canyon Creek School Christmas Pageant. (That was back in the good ol' days when folks had the you know whats to stand up for what was right and they were not called Holiday Festival Tree Celebrations or some other ludicrous made up nonsense.)

Dang, I loved that dress.

No matter where I am in the world physically, emotionally or spiritually, I don't think I could ever feel soul satiation without books. Thanks to modern technology, I can always have several on hand to read whatever I am in the mood for: mystery, history, biography, fiction....I have it all on my Kindle. I have no idea how I lugged all those books around in my handbag before! So, I am an avid reader, and even in the midst of our move, I would need to read in order to keep up some form of sanity. I was one of those introverted type children who used to actually get in trouble for reading too much. I used to read with a flashlight under my covers (yeah, it did make my eyesight bad, so don't do it) read in the car, on camping trips, on the way to church, on the way home from church, after school on the bus, you name it. One of my favorite feelings was waking up at the start of a school holiday and knowing I could read and read and read.

R. D. Cumming once said "A good book has no ending. "

Um, yeah. Turns out that's a big fat farce folks. What a bunch of ~

For a portion of my summer reading list I selected auto-biographies/memoirs that three of the above women wrote (coincidentally? I think not) within only a few months of one another.

Dear R.D. Cummings, There really was an end, and it was brutal. Sincerely, Sheridan

We start with Allison's Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.

The poor lady still has crap chucked at her in public and book signings, etc. because of the little

devilette she played. Some dopes thought it was all very REAL, and that was what she was like in real life. (ha ha, embarrassing snort.)

Then:

2. Prairie Tale, by Melissa Gilbert.

I couldn't wait to dig in! The first two I sort of read in tandem on a magnificent beach in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and then had to stop (seriously) because I found them just too disturbing. I didn't want the vacation associated with my childhood fantasies getting tossed into the beautiful azure Caribbean. So, I read them later, here or there when I had a few spare moments.

Let's just say that I was "Enlightened". No, more like crushed. I was ready to hear about the camaraderie that took place on the set of LHOTP and all about Pa, Ma and Carrie, the dog Jack and the rest of the crew.

So, let me put a spoiler alert in here, because I would hate for any ones dreams to be stomped on like mine were if you have no plans of reading these and just want to remember our beloved LHOTP as you remember it, happy happy, rosey, roesy, la dee dah de dah.

For the rest of you (I'll bet that you are still reading!) let me apprise you and draw back the curtains on some curious actualities.

First of all, Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and Allison Arngrim (Nellie) were and still are very good friends in real life. They played at each others homes all of the time and got along splendidly off of set, while everyone knows that during working hours they were each others nemisis'. Allison came from a rather goofy family with an interesting background; her parents being rather nomadic and unstable, her father being admittedly gay but still in love with her mother, spent nights here or there, and a very horrific count of incest within the family parameters that took place is very disturbing. Her parents were in and out of show biz in the 1970's and 80's & in their own little world and for all practical purposes, she took care of herself. She seems to have been everything Nellie Olsen was not. I actually thought it was pretty funny to find out that her short little Jewish husband, Percival, on the show that drove Mrs. Olsen mad was gay. Unfortunately he has since passed away, but he really played up his character and was a wonderful actor. Plus his hair was just so darn cute!

Melissa Gilbert came from a very privileged back ground. She was adopted by Paul Gilbert (comedian) one day after she was born. Her parents were tremendously wealthy and she was a self entertaining rich kid, who really never came off as spoiled or bratty in her tell all book, just....lost, really. Severe drug and alcohol problems and issues with men had quite a hold on her for many years. She seemed to be searching for something she could never find, and even on the last page as she claims her happiness and healing, I was left with the sour flavour in my mouth that all still was not quite right with this woman. Her brother in "real life", Jonathon Gilbert played Willie, Nellie's brother on the show. He apparently has wander lust and disappears for months at a time without anyone hearing from him or knowing where he is.

Next off and of important notice is that Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary) was not an angelic fair blue eyed maiden, but rather said to be quite the little "bee-otch". She hardly, if ever, spoke to Melissa or Allison. They didn't know any personal details about her or her background whatsoever, where she lived, if she had siblings, nothing other than she was apparently a very snobbish, snide child who was a work-a-holic, partially due to her ever present hovering guardian stage mother whose drive and desire to apparently live out her dreams vicariously through her child were of utmost importance. "Laura" wrote in her book that on one occasion when she was to be "slapped" by "Mary" in a scene, Melissa Sue leaned over and snottily told Melissa Gilbert, "I am REALLY going to slap you you know. "

What? No brushing of each others hair and sharing of dreams and secrets up in the loft? No popcorn and cider over the fires of goodwill? WTH? Well hopefully she worked out her contrition with Reverend Alden. Of course, she mentions none of her behaviour in her memoir which seemed to be a comeback kid to the first two of the demented (In My Opinion) trilogy of horror. She seems to remember being friendly, sweet and very "Maryish". Well, could be. After all our perceptions are our realities you know.

Her book was a big yawn with a tremendous defensive tone and not much more than documentation about who or what she played when and who she knew/knows (cough, name-dropper) and yet to her credit, I was impressed that she is a very involved mom to her two children who lives more for her family now than anything else. It was interesting to me to find out she is actually a Canadian, and well....yeah. That's pretty much it. I shoulda bought a cookbook.

Micheal Landon was not Pa. Not really in any way shape or form. First off, I am not here to trample on a dead mans grave. This is just what was throughout these books, acknowledged by the authors who did know him well and love him fiercely to the end.

He looooooved to "go cammando". He knew and apparently had a deep personal appreciation for how his physique looked on film. (Heck, didn't everyone? He was all sinewy muscles and sweat from all the hard work at the mill. I was bummed to hear it was mostly mist from water bottles and baby oil). He wanted a larger female audience to increase ratings. (Clever.) He was pretty much an alcoholic. He walked around with a mug every morning with a splash of coffee and then met the teamsters by the trucks and topped that off with a glug glug of the really heavy stuff. He cursed like a sailor with a hot temper and Reverend Alden

truly would have banned him from the congregation or at least the fried chicken pot-lucks after church services on Sunday afternoons had he been in the know of this behavior.

Most of the crew was pretty much tanked everyday by mid-to late morning, and all and all I discovered he was just a "normal man". (I guess he didn't really plow all of those fields, combat whooping cough and "the Fever" or help save the mill and stuff.) He cheated on his wife, (his real one, Lynn, not Caroline) had a major affair with an extra little young tart on set, married her, had ridiculously expensive sports cars (not buck wagons?), and basically the picture painted put a oh so proverbial image of a walking mid-life crisis in my head. He was just definitely not "Pa". (Heck! Who could be!? )

He just created a Pa that was the imagination of what the perfect father would be like for all of mankind. Even with all of the shocking revelations presented to my inner 8-12 year old self, ( I mean, realistically I KNOW that people are not perfect...) I will be forever grateful for the series he created and made come to life for me and generations of people to enjoy and learn from. He was a very kind man with a generous heart and huge talented gift of imagination.

I was shocked to learn that Michael and Karen Grassle (Ma) hardly ever got along well in real life and argued constantly having to cover up a mean and bitter undertone during most scenes in order to just get through the day. (Remember, these are the words and descriptions of the authors', not mine.)

The little sister, Carrie, who was played by the twin sisters Lindsay and Sydney Greenbush were never really known much at all. The gibberish Carrie always said on camera that no one could understand (So it wasn't just me!?) had the crew always scratching their heads, going uh.....huh? Whaaaa? That was pretty much all that was mentioned about that sweet, odd little Carrie that I recall reading about.

Laura really had never kissed a boy before "Almanzo" (for real)

<----What a DUFFUS.

since she and Rob Lowe had not yet begun their hot sexual affair yet in real life, (all pretty well detailed and documented ) and she was disgusted and mortified by the man (Dean someone) that played the character. Oh, not that he wasn't a good person, or gross necessarily, just a MUCH older man than she in real age. She BEGGED Michael (producer) to not make her marry this man or kiss him on the show.

(sing song voice: AAAAWWWKWARD!)

<--Well, here is what they looked like in real life and they don't seem to much more thrilled than Melissa Gilbert felt.

About the only people who seemed as they were on camera in real life were apparently "Nels" (Nellie and Willies father)

really was the type to speak in a soft gentle voice, hand out gumdrops and mend anything broken with a kind word or mercantile credit you could pay off with a calico lined basket of a bakers dozen double yolked eggs.

And then there was "Mr. Edwards"the <---Grizzly old fart.

( ....remember? always spittin' tabaca and singin') :

Old Daniel Tucker wuz a mighty man,

He washed his face in a fryin' pan;

Combed his head wid a wagon wheel

And he died wid de toofache in his heel

Chorus:

So, git outa de way for old Dan Tucker,

He's come too late to git his supper.

Supper's over and breakfast cookin',

Old Dan Tucker standin' lookin'.

"Mrs. Olsen" was a nice enough woman, but in real life was truly very bossy and apparently quite the scene stealer/self appointed director, ( carried her script around with her notes penned on the side and tried to direct the other actor's which often caused dissension on set. ) She apparently was not too far off from her character!

So what with the damaging the illusions of my inner most ten year old psyche, I would have to concur that these reads were devulgences I most certainly could have lived without. However, I am like the freeway rubber-necker who can not go past an accident with out slowing down and getting a nice look see. Unfortunately this time it was a trifecta of party pooping scribes that were on the side of the road.

Whenever I read or watch something, even if it turns out to be a flop I try to glean something from it, otherwise I have just wasted my precious time.

Once again I am reminded (in a very ODD way this time) that you can not "judge a book by its' cover", and that not everything is what it seems. There are illusions, actions and the consummate faux "___WHATEVER_____" (fill in the blank...hair, noses, marriages, checkbook balances....) that startle you into realizing that what you see can all be a farce.

Sometimes we really don't want to know the truth, because the truth, in the jargon used by most kids nowadays , can "Like, totally, suck". It ain't always fun to look at the REAL.

Take the truly needy for instance, (specifically I am thinking of a large percentage of Rwandan Children, but, whoever.) When you pass a beggar on the street do you judge and look away? Do we really want to know and see the dirty truth no matter how unpleasant or stinky? It would be SO much easier to look the other way and assume someone else is going to do something about it, or there are surely solutions that someone or something bigger than you and I can come up with. Oh really? Who?

Perhaps it's time for a new pair of glasses?

Hope you had a red shoed Friday, and are having a

lovely weekend thus far,

Sheridan ~ xxoo

Too learn more about the "real" Laura Ingall's Wilder, please check out this interesting and informative link:

Kitchen Clown Ballet, Decorating, & being inspired by Little Mannikin Pis

2010-09-28T23:50:00.000+02:00

As mentioned in my last blog entry, we are finally starting to settle in to our home in California. We have moved many times, and I can never fully relax or start to "roost" until the last box is unpacked and the curtains are up, the kitchen is in order and everything is put away into their new little places. I think it makes the transition a bit more smooth for children as well. Jacob has had a difficult time adjusting to the new location, and he also misses his sister terribly (Ha. Snort. I totally told them so).

Our new digs are below. We decided to just pay someone elses hideous mortgage for now, to be sure of where we would like to live in the area, or if California is even where we want to apply for a hideous mortgage of our own.

The first thing that makes a new house start to feel like a home (to me) is when I can finally cook something! The first time cooking in your new kitchen is always so "special". For me it usually involves some sort of injury~ from burns to bruises. I am known to be a bit of a klutz, not unlike Renee Zellweger playing Bridget Jones, and feeling so disorientated orchestrates a show like a bunch of overly padded rodeo clowns with clumsy hot dog arms & two foot long shoes (red of course) trying to participate in the delicate routines of a ballet company performing Swan Lake. Graceful I look not.

I have a gas stove now, which I am not accustomed to, and I am always fearful I am going to burn off my eyebrows (can't release the story, but this has actually gone down in our family ) or blow up a house that we are not the owners of. Also you are naturally inclined to go straight to a drawer or cupboard in the same general area as your previous kitchen where you stored such and such, but of course such and such is not there. My depth perception was "off" the first night of cooking, and I opened at least two cupboards into my own temple not once, but several times. ( Seriously! WHO does that!?!?!? )

The light switches are not in the right places, the microwave "buttons" are all different and it cooks at a much different speed and you can't recall where the sugar is! Plus, you are already quite sore from bumping into the wall when nature called during the night and you climbed over your spouse because you thought that was the way to the bathroom (it wasn't) and then opened the door you thought led to the bathroom (it didn't) then you tripped and fell on....yep you guessed it...those last little stragglers of boxes you don't know what to do with and don't even want to begin to tackle. I couldn't recall exactly what was in them, but the thought crossed my mind to just load them up into the SUV and take them to the local Goodwill.

Anyway, for our first meal in this house, I decided on a familiar baked potato soup with crispy crumbled bacon and cheddar. Comforting, filling and not to difficult (ingredient-direction wise) to prepare. I think it could be the perfect fall meal! Who doesn't like potatoes or bacon!?

You just boil some potatoes and onions (I even leave skins on for fiber & nutrients ) in enough water to cover them, then drain after they have cooked until soft. Mash them up coarsely then add milk or if you are feeling naughty half and half, to make the soup the consistency your family likes. Add a few tablespoons of butter, some pre-cooked bacon that has been chopped fine or crumbled, and then serve in deep bowls with shredded cheddar on top listening to the sighs of thankfulness and gratification. Easy Peasy!

The first night not eating off paper plates for a month and half was DIVINE!!! Cloth napkins even!

There are four places set in this photo, not because I am a nutty woman who creepily wishes my daughter was at the table with us, but because Jasper, her boyfriend, was able to spend a week and a half with our family after we took her to school.

It is always quite fun, albeit overwhelming, going about the task of filling up a new empty pantry. I do like to budget, and this can be one huge money monster of an expense for sure. SO, I try to think of what I would like to make and/or use most, and then start there. I first begin by making my list of items that are what Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa ( CLICK HERE TO READ MORE & CHECK OUT THE STORE! )
calls, "Best In Class". Ina (love her!) explains that this means you buy the best that you can afford when it comes to items that are important to you in the kitchen or when serving your family or guests.
For instance, mine would be:
good quality free range chicken
nutmeg pod's for fresh grating
excellent Madagascar or Mexican white vanilla
a certain type of Madras curry I adore
unsalted sweet cream butter
First Press Extra Virgin Olive oil
creme fraiche
triple cream Brie cheese
lavash crackers
fresh cilantro, and
TONS of vanilla scented candles.
These are items I will always spend extra money on or seek out. I may have to eat ramen noodles , but by golly they will have butter on them and not that golden hydrogenated chemical tub of yuckiness I deplore. ( I am seriously gagging thinking of it).

For you it could be a certain brand of bread, organic eggs, a tub of hydrogenated margarine, or ice cream made with four ingredients or less. Whatever. Just remember not to only purchase "best in class" for guests, but for affordable luxuries to treat your family, who is just as if not more special, to as well. So with my pantry ready to rock and roll and me still in a baking mood, I kept the momentum up and started finding my way around the longer I spent in the new kitchen. (Which, although I ADORE my little country kitchen in Washington, have to admit is far superior in room, storage space and luxury/efficient appliances which is handy since we are down one dishwasher now-a-days)!

New Kitchen

And so I decided to make a batch of cookies. Some for Cecily, her darling room-mate, Ainslie, and some to share. I found this recipe I had not tried before that looked super yummy and so decided to go with that. Since I am to lazy to type out the recipe, I just snapped a shot of it. They were a huge hit, and I added some pecans on top just for some texture. They are a snap to make, and super good! I got the recipe from a Taste of Home cookbook and they are called Malted Toffee Oatmeal Cookies.

When mentioning getting our new home in order, I am /of course making reference to getting everything unpacked. Blach. Not my favorite thing to do. I did decide to have a theme for this move though....."Use what you have", as we were trying to separate one household into two. I unearthed some old curtains out of our basement full of scat before we left, and it just so happened I had the exact amount of panels as windows in the new house, and they were the perfect length. Our over sized vintage area rug came along and I just started basing colors and adding to or taking away from that until "it just felt right".

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Nice, cozy, homey, and "us".

Now, whenever I personally hear or use the phrase, "Use what you have", I think of Little Mannikin Pis. (A history lesson for those not in the know....) This is a VERY old and VERY famous landmark statue in Brussels. Mannikin Pis ( I realize that is not the English spelling for Mannequin) is Dutch for, "little man urinating". Now...(stay with me)....this little chubby angel-faced dumpling is immortalized and commemorated in bronze because he "USED WHAT HE HAD".

<-------WEEEEEE!

As the legend goes, the young boy was awoken by a fire and was able to put out the fire with his pee, and in the end this helped stop the king's castle from burning down. With a little thought and ingenuity his winkie saved the day. He has several HUNDRED outfit's and is re-dressed almost daily. Outfits have been made and given to "him" from around the world. I just may need to send the little lad a little pair of little red boots. We should all try to remember our extensive wealth and ponder on how we can best share our blessings with those less fortunate and "USE WHAT WE HAVE". I have just chosen to use red shoes. What can you use?

My mom owned a tea room in Billings, Montana several years ago that I helped out with. We served traditional tea sandwiches. You know, the ridiculously delicious, highly caloric and dainty kind that had all of those dreadful annoying crusts cut off. I always wondered why that was an English tradition, and just learned the other day while taking in a show of "Two Fat Ladies" why it is so. I adore this program, and if you have never heard of or seen Jennifer or Clarissa cooking away, you are missing OUT!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TWO FAT LADIES!

Anyway, back on point, on the episode I was watching, these two Brit's were making delightful tea sandwiches, (for a British group of young men that we would liken to America's "Boy Scouts"), and cutting off the crusts, admonishing, "Now, You weed nevvvverrrrr put the crusts out with the rubbish! Why, what on earth then would you have to share with theee poooor?!?", Jennifer's thick accent rolls out.

Ahhhh. Got it. Oprah. Moment. Light bulb. Click.

I put this in to practice the other night while making an old fashioned "Summer Pudding" from a recipe I found out of my Fannie Farmers Cookbook. Now, if you do not care for English type "puddings" ( which in fact are nothing like the disgusting American variety of fake butterscotch plop in a mucked up plastic cup), but rather a custard type of consistency, I wouldn't recommend this recipe at all, but if you are adventurous or a pleasure seeker you may want to give it a try:

Line a small mould or dish with soft white buttered bread, crusts removed.

On the stove, heat your choice of chopped up late summer fruits or berries with enough sugar to take away the tartness. ( I used some Ling-ion berry Preserves we bought at Ikea, and some plums and peaches). Just before it begins to boil, remove from the heat and pour this into your mould. Now cover with more buttered bread pieces. Cover with plastic cling film and weight it down with something heavy that fits into the mould. Put in refrigerator overnight. To serve: Put a serving plate or platter on top of mould. Slide a butter knife around the inside edge of the mould, then invert and the "pudding" should release. The berries will have drenched through with the bread becoming soft and soaking up their goodness. The whole thing looks jewel colored and is quite pretty in a rustic sort of way. Serve with gobs of REAL fresh whipped cream. Don't you dare use that tub of not so COOL Whipped junk because it will ruin it. (Unless it is on your best in class list of course) OR a good quality vanilla ice cream works too.

THEN: Make croutons with the crusts! Cut them up, drizzle with melted butter, olive oil, celery seed, some italian type seasonings & onion salt, then bake in a 300 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Delish!

Now the next time you get that feeling that you should "USE WHAT YOU HAVE", you too can be reminded of and inspired by "Little Mannikin Pis" and how one "small little thing" really can make a difference!

Hoping you have a red shoed day,

xxoo Sheridan ~

Scat, Tunnels & Clothespins

2010-09-24T01:07:00.001+02:00

(Edited version of 09-23-2010's earlier post.)
If you subscribe via email, please drop by the actual blog to see the new face lift!

Hey guys!!!
What's it been? Like, a month and a half or so? How is everything going? Be sure to drop me a comment and let me know you were here!
Well, we made it through the move to California, and are finally feeling a tad settled. We are loving it thus far. We are in the East Bay area, about 50 minutes from San Fransisco. It is very open here, and I am enjoying the big open sky as it reminds me very much of where I grew up in Montana.

Moving on it's own is a one fabulous way to test your own personal strength and emotional health, but it also

gets better if you throw in getting a child preparing to leave for college, with plans of that happening about 4 days after you arrive at your new digs. All of this together can pose as a wonderful marriage analysis,

and is a perfect yardstick with which to measure your capacity for patience with your off-spring and pretty much anyone around you. I would have slapped Rachael Ray if I had seen her in person. No one should be jolly, and no one should be enjoying themselves. Everyone should get to watch someone move at least once in their life, for the entertainment aspect of it alone. Seriously. A lawn chair, iced cold coke and a bucket of popcorn and you are in business. This could be sadistically amusing for HOURS. The most indepth conversations we had for a couple of days right before leaving went about like this.

Example: "What are we having for dinner"?
"Pizza".
"Again" !? "Yes, AGAIN. "
"I can't wait until you start cooking again. "
"Yeah, well, enjoy your pizza !"

Niiiiiice.

Like most people, in preparation for a move of a household, we discovered what I will herein now refer to as "scat". There was scat everywhere. There was scat we never knew we had, scat we knew we had and still wanted to keep so we wouldn't have to buy more scat, scat for donations, scat for the trash and even more scat that my husband had that I didn't want to keep, and scat that I wanted to keep but that he couldn't give a scat about. Separating scat between two houses and sorting out scat out for days on end is so verrrrrrrry restoritive and theraputic. Chv-ya, right. Snort.

There is nothing sweet at'll about riding in a hot full SUV with two dogs with bad dog breath, a very bored little guy, and oh yes, the cat who got to ride up in the big truck with John that hissed and bawled out high pitched, weird screech like cat noises for two and a half days.

<----"Baaaa Haaaa Haaaa Haaa Haaa"!

<---No "butt's" about it, moving stinks.

...BUTT, you won't be in the process of moving forever, or riding with stinky animals in a stuffy, recycled air conditioned vehicle forever. You won't be in unfamiliar hotels with pillows that are not your own, have to wash with hand sanitizer and wet wipes, or eat "Road Food" forever. You know there is an end to the tunnel and you will see it shortly, and life will at some point be re-restored.

As I previously indicated, about four days after our move, as we tried to get a bit unpacked and settled, we had to take Cecily off to her new school. Packing up another suitcase felt odd, but we were off once again. This time to a very nice hotel in Santa Barbara.

One of the most difficult things I have ever had to do in my life was to take our daughter off to college, leaving her in complete strangers' hands, six hours away. You are on a brand new mission, in unfamiliar territory, and with this milestone, you realize that there is also a tunnel, but now there seems as if there is no longer an end in sight for you. Your child is moving away, (as they should if all you have done goes right), further and further from your hand to hold and hopefully they will walk on their own in the stability and confidence with which you raised them, starting to fashion their own independant life.

I remember when Cecily was just starting to walk. She was doing so well for days on end, standing on her little wobbly colt like legs, maneuvering around the furniture, but still too leery to venture out on her own into the big open living room. When she would walk with me, she would always need to grasp one finger. Just one finger let her know that mama was there, walking along beside her, stabilizing her, making sure she would not fall. (Isn't it fascinating how even at such a young age, it is instinctive to us to not want to fall)? One day, I craftily slipped one of the old fashioned type (no springs on it) of clothespins into my hand. Since she was ahead of me, she thought it was "the safety finger". Slowly I started to slip my hand back as she toddled along. I knew that she was and would be "okay" and I also knew that she could walk on her own. It was time. With a smile and a whisper I said, "bye-bye little baby big girl". She was waddling along with her little wooden metaphoric clothespin, and did just fine all on her own. Suddenly, she turned back, with a look of perplexity and fear, but then relaxed when she saw me smiling with pride and encouragement. She knew I was still there, but her new expression said, "hey! I've got this! (...But it's still comforting to know you've got my six and would catch me if I fall").

Last chance to bug my sister for awhile!

This memory and many more flooded my mind which then went into the factory in the head that floods your eyes. Most parents that day at orientation were having "moments". Whoever said that "having a child is to forever have your heart walking outside of your body", nailed it right. Mom's all over the place looked like they had rain bird sprinkler heads installed behind their eyeballs. The bookstore on campus was sold out of Kleenex. Grown men wept openly, holding their sons and daughters to them, not necessarily for the last time in life, God willing, but for the last time for now. For the last time during this very special rite of passage.

<----Daddy & his girl.

<----commissioning service

It felt foreign and odd to be in such a huge place with so many people doing the same thing, most of us for the very first time. It was a connection coming from the business of going about being human that wove us all into an afghan of comfort. It felt snug and reassuring, but at the end of the day, I knew it was time to let go of another clothespin.

Cecily: We'll still always be ready to catch you if you fall.

Love, Daddy & Mama

Hugs & wishes for a red shoed day,

Sheridan xxoo

The Weight of Whine

2010-08-11T22:57:00.000+02:00

Meltdown. It happened on Monday in the late afternoon. I was whiney. Not voicing it outloud or anything, just in my own head, but phew....was it noisy!

I have missed blogging and keeping posts of my charitable goals very much. Things are a bit harried around here right now. I have had to live in disarray which is torture for a tidy and organized personality type and have become the sort of person who leaves dirty dishes around. Not for one day. Sometimes two or three. (This feels rather confessional in nature!)
It is disgusting, and it is not that I don't care, I just litterally have so many other things on other bigger plates to do and take care of right now. We are moving to California and leave next week. Our daughter leaves for college about three days after our arrival to our new home. We will be driving her down to Santa Barbara from the East Bay area, and the immenint thought of leaving her looms in my head. I can't get it off of my mind and I know it will be a long difficult day but it is possible to get through it. (Metephor that pops into my head: Like knowing you have to wear a girdle or your Spanx for an entire afternoon in the heat of August. )

So, I have tried to decide if I am taking all of my red shoes (we are keeping our house here in Washington), or some of them, or keep them in their nice neat boxes with the lables and photos, which will take up a lot of room, or throw them into a box (truthfully, that would even take up a lot of room).
I was tired and probably a tad hypo-glycemic and just overall pissy. The dialogue in my head was going something like this:
" Good Grief Sheridan! This is the absolute dumbest idea I have ever come up with. What was I thinking? Red Shoes. SNORT.
I miss my other pretty shoes. Oh well, I have just 5.5 months to go. I can finish this. I have Gilreath blood in my. I will finish this. Did the dog just fart? My closet smells awful! I hope the scent doesn't get into my clothes. Oh mylanta! That stinks like a nasty stinker! How many shoes should I bring? Just all of the fall and winter ones, or spring and summer ones too. I mean do you wear sandals in October and November there? But why? Is it really even making a bit of a difference? I'm so sick of red. I'm sick of matching clothes to red. I look dorky. (Now the tears)... the next holiday that works with red is Christmas, and that is a long stinkin' time away. Are there even children in Rwanda who will benefit from this money? I mean, I've never been there who the hell knows! Dang. I'm so hungry. What should we have for dinner? Something with the gravitational equilibrium of my heart. Comfort food. I wonder what kind of "comfort food" those children in Rwanda have. I think I'll make scalloped potatoes and stuffing and chicken fried steak. With gravy. Yeah, gravy for sure. Hmmm. I wonder if I have a milk gravy recipe in my Fannie Farmer Cookbook. Wait. I think I packed my Fannie Farmer Cookbook. I wonder how many calories are in a dinner like this. Hey! I totally forgot about this pair of red shoes! They will be nice for fall. But again, when does fall happen in California? Do they even have fall, or is winter there like everyone elses fall? Dear God, I am overwhelmed. I am discouraged and tired and need your voice to talk to me. Please! If you still want me to do this project and follow through with what I have started, please give me a sign. Please remind me that this footwear is just that. Footwear. Something to keep my feet from getting bruised, burned, blistered...beyond pedicure help. I'm fortunate to have them. Please remind me that a lot of the kids I am doing this for may not even have shoes. A lot of the kids probably won't even get a meal tonight and I need to be reminded of the mother's who must feel overwhelming anguish and guilt and despair putting children to bed at night with empty bellies. Remind me I am blessed. (Tears....) SO very blessed."

At this point I decided to work on the shoes later. I started on books. The Weight of Water. Keep. Trek across America. Weird, but keep. A Year in Provence. Keep. Presbyterian Hymnal. Hey! I forgot I had this! I took it off of the "free" table that Pastor Becky used to set up every few months to move old books and knick knack's out of the church. I thumbed through it quickly and remembered why. I ADORE the hymns of old. Hymns that we were taught in church to us when we were children and that we sang week after week. Most of them are so ingrained in my head I can recall at least the first verse (sometimes 3 or 4!) most of the time.
Flipped pages. Oh I love this song! "Fairest Lord Jesus". I should sing. That always puts me in a better mood. Inhale.

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, ( my heart swells a tad)

O thou of God and man the Son,

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, (weeping now)

thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.

(With a stronger voice and more determined ):

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,

robed in the blooming garb of spring:

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer

who makes the woeful heart to sing.

(Belting it out now, because I am all alone and my heart is now less heavy):

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,

and all the twinkling starry host:

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

than all the angels heaven can boast!

(Tears almost gone. I am feeling gratitude and JOY!):

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, adoration,

now and forevermore be thine!

That song lifted my dragging whiney butt off the ground and was like a nice shot of epinephrine for the heart.
But, being human and still feeling a bit non-plussed about the whole shoe thing, I aksed God one more time
to let me please know in NO uncertain terms if what I was doing was worth it and was going to glorify Him.
I think I will make gravy tonight.

The End.

Well, sort of.

So yesterday Cecily went down to grab the mail at the end of our lane. Nothing. We were surprised since we usually always have mail, and I wondered if it were some oddball holiday I neglected to notice.

Hmm. Went about more packing and business as usual. It has been rainy and dreary and gross here on the peninsula for the past several days and I can't stand it. At around five p.m. the sunshine came out. Of course I dropped everything I was doing and ran full speed outside to sit on my swing. As I flew out the door, I noticed a package. And the rest of our mail. Our sweet mail people had brought it up to the house. It was a birthday gift from my parents to Jake. But wait! There is a manilla envelope for me. I noticed the senders name immediately. Abby M. She was the sweet girl who came out to do a photo shoot for World Vision magazine last spring. Huh. I wonder if something is wrong with the pictures? Maybe I looked dorky and they want me to see the proofs and pick one of the best out of all the worst. I anxiously tore it open and this is what I found: three photo's and a card.

I am going to share the card with you, and I don't think that Abby would mind since it was her hand writing for God.

Hi Sheri!
I don't know if you remember when I came to take photos of you and all your red shoes, but I had just found out that I'd be going to Rwanda for World Vision in June. The trip was unforgettable and changed who I am. I learned so much about love and thankfulness and the goodness of God. It was truly amazing. I wanted to send you some photos of that trip so you can see what Rwanda looks like and the joy of the people there. It is a beautiful place. The photo of all the children sitting down is at a World Vision feeding program for malnourished children run in part by their mothers. While we were there (with Casting Crowns), Casting Crowns decided to buy them 2 cows so their children can eat even better. The women immediately began dancing and singing in praise to God. It was so moving! Anyhow, I could go on and on with all the things we saw and stories we heard, but I wanted to say THANK YOU so very much for this sweet labor of love that you're doing for the children of Rwanda. It's truly making a difference- I saw it with my own eyes, how children are growing up healthier in body and soul because of the support of donors like you. I can't say thanks enough for what a blessing you are to them and to us at World Vision! Hope you and your family are well!
Blessings, Abby

The back of the card read: But the needy will not always be forgotten nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Psalm 9:18
"World Vision. Building a better world for children.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

Well, if that wasn't my word of renewal from the Lord, I don't know what would be. The weight of my whine was gone. I am guessing that fortitude weighs more and that tenacity trumps whine.

The truth is, I'm just wearing some silly shoes. ALL OF US are putting the effort in to raising the funds for these kids. If we (YOU & I ) won't do it, then who will? If not now, when? We are a little more than half way to what I originally wanted to raise ($ wise), and I am imploring you all to keep up your pledges. Or just give a buck. Or ten, or a thousand....whatever :)
Thank you Abby for writing what must have been impressed upon your heart at the exact time God was working and pruning mine. Your photography is AMAZING, and I will remember you always.

xxoo Sheri

<---The only way to look back! Smiles & Thankfulness.

Summer Shoes, snapshots taken here or there with my i-phone.

<---My Grammy wears red shoes on Sunday!

She won the drawing in July. :)

2010-07-21T06:41:00.000+02:00

(NOTE: this "letter/post" was written a few weeks ago in my spare hours. A lot has happened since, and I tried to update info. where/when possible. Please bear with me as I have been overwhelmed with "life" and have just not had time to sit and blog. Miss you! Sheri~)

FIRST OFF THE BAT:

I would like to thank the following people for their generous donations this past month!
Jenn Felten- Thank you. I love you! Your money is making a difference, and it may seem like a sacrifice now, but this life is fleeting.

Dad- You are my inspiration. You are faithful, steadfast, my bulwark never failing. Your prayers, love and "Monday Morning Phone Calls" are a security, "cover" and armor for me, and you are one of my "Three Favorite Men" in the whole wide world. I love you. As an adult child, I have a comfort knowing that I can call you night or day and ask you to be there, knowing you would drive sixteen hours to be here the next day if that is what it required!

Mary Ann- Oh how I am going to miss your encouraging notes and little letters to us in our lil' red country mailbox. You and Ben have been a such an amazing optimistic advocate for this "project" I have started, and I am so thankful for both of you! You have a gift of encouragement, and I hope you never let that wane; it is a gift.

Shannon~ My sister for reals...there really are no words. I love your heart more than mine. I can not imagine my life without you. Thank you for your donations.

Jenn- One of my "soul sista's" ! You have led your life leaving a testament to the fact that determination, perserverance, love, prayer and hard work truly do have their own rewards. I am in awe of all you accomplish every day, and feel like a big ole' slug whenever I read YOUR blog!!! Thank you for supporting this endeavor. I know you will be blessed.

Love Always,
Sheri (I'll look for my favorite "Lil' RED CAR" :) LOL!) in November when we get "home".

The other evening we were generously given four tickets to see Circque Du Soleil Kooza in Seattle. WOW. If you ever have the opportunity to see the show, I can't recommend it enough! It is a beautiful, hilarious, mesmerizing "story" if you will about a Lonely little character who is trying to find his way in the world. It is an cast made up of over 120 people representing over 17 different countries. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/show/about.aspx My daughter has been under the tutelage for quite some time now of a retired Hollywood producer and director that just happened to retire in our small town and discovered her talent. His son, Ron Campbell, plays "The King" in the show and did a job that was just out of this world. It truly is undescribable, and since there are absolutely no photo's allowed, I have to just tell you to trust me and see it for yourselves!

While I was waiting with John and the kids to go in, we were sitting in the evening sun and relaxing. I was noticing how many red shoed people were walking by and decided to snap some photo's of the ones I counted particularly charming or nifty. I love people watching. It is such an interesting way to wile away time at the airport or when standing on line when you don't have a book. I love how people dress so differently and uniquely. Some folks seem to be under the same self assured, deluded confidence that causes people like Dan Quayle to run for president of the strongest country in the free world, and you know that their mama's did a particularly grande job in the "self esteem" portion of their childhood's! It passed the time, and I snapped a few photo's that were fun to look at. I don't know if photographing someone in public w/out their knowledge is illegal or not, but they are pretty much all feet, and if you don't want to be seen in public with the possiblility of someone snapping a shot of you, may I suggest a few extra squirts of invisible vapor spray.
:)
UPDATE: these photo's I wanted to edit and post seem to be held hostage on my husband's computer. I will try to upload them tomorrow or later this week.

I have found a recipe that I wanted to share with you all that I tried and that received rave reviews from my family. They are called "Salt Potatoes". I found the recipe in the Food Network Publication and decided to give it a go. Basically, the recipe originated from the workers of the Salt Mines in the early 1900's near Syracuse, NY. They would boil brines down to extract the salts, and when they were hungry would toss a few tot's in to boil. Since salt (and that much of it) raises the water temperature considerably above the boiling point, the potatoes turn out to be rather crunchy and firm on the outside with a much more creamy and soft inside. They are a lot different than baked or regular boiled potoatoes, and don't let the amount of salt (it sounds startling) shock or detour you from trying them. Very little if any of it will be absorbed buy the tubers. (Think of salt packed fish that is baked, etc...).

Here is the recipe:

Basically you take about 2-3 lbs. of smaller type potatoes such as red or yukon golds and then add 2 1/2 cups (gulp) of Kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and then cook aprox. 30 minutes longer. Drain immediately. The potatoes will have residual salt on the outside, (but Kosher salt is no where near as salty as regular table salt), so don't fret. They will look dry and matte in color. Serve with pepper, more salt if desired and melted butter. Perfect with sauteed asparagus!

Enjoy!

I am enjoying the excitement and hustle and bustle of last minute shopping and packing as we prepare for our family vacation which begins on Monday. We are also very excited to spend time with my brother and his wife and girls over the weekend to celebrate the 4th of July. Such fun!
(Update): We had a fabulous 4th of July and here are some photo's of my darling neices trying to fit some more marshmallow's into their cute little cheeks! :)

This weekend, why not try a "grown up" version of a S'more? Just use tea biscuits (such as Nabisco Social Tea Biscuit's) spread with a bit of Nutella or set a block of good quality chocolate (we love Amano Madagascar Chocolates!) and add a gourmet marshmallow like http://www.plushpuffs.com/display or dollop of Kraft's Jet Puffed Marshmallow Creme. Delish! :)

God Bless you! I send my love to you, drive carefully and be
careful with fire-crackers and most of all just enjoy our
wonderful freedom!

Love,

Sheri~

Computer Funeral

2010-06-28T04:32:00.000+02:00

Aaaaaah! I was told not to buy a Dell. But, I loved her. I canoodled and carried and cared for her. Poor girl. She finally reached her age (in dog years, apparently) and passed away. I am frustrated because sooooo many of my photo's that were on there that I wanted to share with you all were in files I can not reach. The battery is dead. The guts are dead. I'm borrowing a family member's lap top at the moment, but just wanted to tell you that all is going pretty darn well....as far as wearing red shoes for one whole year goes. I am feeling a healthy pride in the fact that I have not broke down. I have not worn any shoes (other than the 20 second CROC'S birthday cake episode: (read Cecily's birthday post back in March about that) besides red ones the ENTIRE last six months. It has not always been easy, and I really do need the support to stay on top of it, and remind myself daily why I am doing this. I watched a program this morning that spoke to me. The entire message was about remembering God's grace in your life. He WILL provide it. It WILL come. When you are feeling discouraged, down, distraught, or even just moody, ask for GRACE. It's a comin'!!!
I am hoping you are all having a wonderful summer! As soon as I can retrieve some photo's, I am going to post pictures from the celebration party we had in my daughters honor as she graduated from high-school as the class Salutatorian, AND from Olympic College with her AA degree this year. She is amazing, and we feel so blessed to have her in our life.
I also have pictures of shoes, my 40th birthday party, my parents who are from Billings, Montana and their visit out this way for a week.... many more.
This week will be full of packing (for both our family vacation to Play del Carmen, Mexico (near Cozumel on the Pacific ocean), AND our big move to the San Francisco area in August, AND for Cecily who will be attending a school in California as well. Phew! Lots on my plate. I finally took a sleeping pill last night so I could just "shut my mind off". Does your mind ever just go on and on and on and on and you can't sleep and get even more wide awake from the frustration of not being able to sleep!??!?! Ugh. Must be part of your 40's! :)
I have started a new work out program, and my arms, thighs, tummy and tushy are a burning lately.
Remember to keep up your good health this summer, drink lots of water, wear your sunscreen and take care of you.
I just finished reading this author's book on "How to Never Look Old" and it is wonderful! A perfect beach read: http://charlakrupp.com/content/index.asp

I also finished Paula Begoun's book "Don't go to the makeup counter without me". It is quite an insight into what you could be virtually ingesting through the pores of your skin, or worse yet, what your daughters may be putting on THEIR poor lil' teen-aged faces! Thankfully, Cecily has had blemish free skin, but she started a routine when she was 12, and has never worried about it. Now, I on the other hand could be an adult poster child for Proactive or such. (What is with THAT!?!? LOL!) READ THIS BOOK!!!!! There are so many "organic" or "natural" or "gentle" ingredients such as soaps, cleansers, serum's and makeup that you could be exposing yourself to that are HORRIBLE for your body and eventually could reek havoc on your health.
CLICK HERE: http://www.paulaschoice.com/ I kid you not. After I read this, I threw away ALL of my makeup (some of which was rather pricey by the way), and ALL of my cleansing/moisturizing products and started fresh.
I am confident I won't burn at the beach this year, which I dread and has happened more times than I care to tell you about....( Denise! If you are reading this, do you remember lying out on those ridiculous foil like survival "blankets" slathered in baby oil?!?! Good GRIEF!!!!)
Anyway, I hope you all are having a LUSCIOUS summer time and I will try to blog as much as possible in Mexico since I will have a laptop by then, and would love to share our 11 day (14 hours to get there! ) adventure.

PLEASE remember to follow through with pledges, encourage others to donate to the cause, and pray for the Rwandan Children during this season of the year when we as American's are so blessed.

xxoo Love, Sheri

Are Your Relatives as Weird as Mine?

2010-06-03T08:25:00.000+02:00

There is a phraseology of sorts that I have heard a lot lately and that has caused me to listen for it more and more, and that has caused me to stop and ponder. Its' cyclical. I am totally hooked on entertaining myself by observing and tuning in to people everywhere from the public bus system to restaurants or the movies. So many people have different opinions on different subjects, people, dress codes, ethnicity, politics, careers, family matters and more. If they disagree with their neighbor or the latest article in a magazine or a product being peddled on a shopping network, they usually say, "That's so weird!" or "you are so weird", or "he or she is so odd"....you know the statements I am talking about.

Well, I am hear to enlighten you. Everything you or others are commenting on is what we know as "all relative". That means that your idea of weirdness is only what you imagine or attest it to be, or what your family raised you to believe/conceive as normal, or what you have trusted the society within which you exist has told you to deem acceptable. Seriously, what sort of expertise is THAT?!?

SO. That means that perhaps if you prefer to look like a fool with your pants on the ground, or you choose not to pierce your tongue or chin or other body parts or think all small town cheerleaders are stupid, or when you elect to not participate in jousting lessons or ballroom dancing or hockey that YOU could be the weird one to them, no? Perhaps it is weird to you that some people only like cheese and onion pizza (my personal favorite) or think that the greatest movie ever made is , "Only You" with Marissa Tomei. Or they like mountain climbing or solving rubik's cubes or giving themselves peanut butter facials. Whatever. Some may think baking brownies from scratch or wearing red shoes every day for one whole year to raise money for orphan's and needy children in Rwanda is just the cats meow. But does that mean I am weird? My taste is weird? My ideas are weird? Oh really? Perhaps I think you are totally off your rocker because you only drink pansy Rose' "wines" instead of Malbec's with character. Or I think it is weird that your teeth are so yellow and you don't do anything about it, or that I think you apply your mascara in a way that makes it look like a tarantula died on your face. Or some may say you are whacked out because you are someone who still likes stirrup pants and stacks of black rubber bracelets or because you think sport pants, a baseball cap and a football jersey look "cool" and is the best way to dress. (HA!) So you don't appreciate "weird" people in the grocery store line who have their hair dyed blue and spend money on Gossipy Rag Mags, or people who are loud and obnoxious at restaurants, covered in vulgar tattoo's or people who talk on their cell phones in the public johns, people who carry a bible around with them or people who don't have a college degree. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's all relative, and, SPOILER ALERT......

You could be the "weirdo"! Ahhhhh!!!!

"Relative"	mean's comparative, connected or contingent to, proportionate or related to, concerning with respect to.

So remember to think about this: Like I said, what could seem totally logical or "normal" to you may be perfectly gross, dysfunctional or blatantly WEIRD to others. Remember that perhaps you have ideas, which could be false illusions or denotations to something you were taught or have notions about that are relatively weird to the rest of the block? Yeah. I thought so. Promise me that the next time you come across something or someone and you think they or the situation is "totally weird," and you find yourself gasping in utter disgust, or bent over in a stupor of wonder, is it is all relative..... to them.....or to you? Hmmmm? Dig deep, find some compassion, acceptance, tolerance and love, and get real.

I wish I had as much time to sit and blog day after day as I did in the winter months! My days are filled to the brim right now with homeschooling Jake, getting the last preparations, papers and applications wrapped up for my daughters graduation on the 12th, and trying to run the household sans hubby.

He (my definite better half) has been working in California for over a month and although we miss him dearly, we feel like a light has been guiding us down this new path. Life is so exciting! A mystery to unwrap and a present each new day.
I will post some more of my red shoe photo's and let you know who wins the May t-shirt for wearing their red shoes on a Friday and sending in a photo of themselves doing so.
My camera battery died tonight :( but I promise to load some up soon.
I hope your spring is lovely and that your summer is kicking off to an amazing start!

Cheers to Weirdness, Weirdo's and Originality Everywhere,
Sheri~
xxoo

A Quick Post to "Keep you in the know"...

2010-05-25T04:27:00.000+02:00

So, how was your weekend? It is not so easy for me to spend time writing like I could back in the long cold days of winter! We have been enjoying our weekends as a family immensely! We love Friday nights especially, since that is when John is able to fly in from California and is home through Sunday.
His nose is healing quite well, and thank you for your well wishes to him after his surgery. It still apparently has a way to go though, since something "up there" came apart on Saturday and there was blood everywhere dripping from his nose ( and I mean everywhere!)...he has never had a bloody nose before, but he filled a dish towel and there is still blood I need to go hose off of the driveway. I thought we were going to have to go to the ER and have it cauterized, but I insisted he SIT down and RELAX and then it let up. I thought he needed to take it easy for the rest of the weekend, and it was rainy out anyway, so we enjoyed curling up with DVD's and spending time with Cecily and each other going out to lunch Sunday and he took me shopping. Jacob was at Boy Scouts Camporee for the weekend and was a busy little guy who is now a very tired little guy.

I want to thank Fred Gilreath, Mary Ann Stamper, Shannon Morehouse, Pamela Mack, Ann Helsley and Jennifer Tracer for their faithful donations and/or t-shirt purchases that they gave to RSFR this month. You giving up your money for some children half a world away says volumes to me about your own character. You will be blessed!

Here are some photo's of the red shoes I have been wearing lately. I really like the vintage 1970's wedges and they look super pretty and feminine with dresses and skirts.

Mother's day was a treat with Jacob making Beef Wellington with Mushroom Pate and using phyllo instead of
a regular pastry dough. Cecily made me a lovely cake, and they just out-did themselves on my behalf. I love those two!

Cecily and Jasper attended a school dance, and looked smashing.

We decided to have a gourmet Sunday Supper last night, and John treated us to King Crab, Prawns, fresh asparagus and corn, and he bought our new favorite wine...a Malbec from Spain. Awesome!

I have been really in to baking "berry pies" lately of any kind. Blackberry, Strawberry, Rhubarb, Strawberry-Rhubarb...you name it, I've baked it. It is so easy to make up several batches of dough and store it in the fridge for the week.

Thanks for all of your support and encouragement through notes, emails and letters and otherwise.

Our dear mail lady, Mary Stamper sent me a link to a You-Tube video that is soooooo great! You HAVE to watch these women from the 1940's do their act in RED SHOES.
Thanks Mary! :)
It's so great!
These women are amazing. (I'll bet their husband's sure think so too....)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNR74UCidBI

Have a wonderful new week!
Love, Sheri~

Taraxacum Officinale vs. Tela Flora Boquets

2010-05-09T00:21:00.000+02:00

This mother's day I elected to send my mother and my husband's mother flower arrangements. I think flowers are the perfect gift for women who no longer need or want much of anything in their matured life, or who want something consumable that they don't have to keep.
The flowers in the photo's on the website looked lush and beautiful and professionally arranged. I hope they did indeed show up looking as promised.

Last evening, Cecily and I were trying our hand at "lasagna" gardening. This is an old fashioned way to garden, believed to originally have been the brain child of wild woman Ruth Stout, a raucous wild ahead of her time my kinda gal who was born in the late 1800's. Here is one of her quotes:

"I've always been a 100% non-conformist. I've always hated to travel and still do. Never learned to drive a car because I didn't want to go anywhere. I have never paid the slightest attention to etiquette, but didn't know I was "out of step" until I got married ... and my husband pointed it out to me. He enjoyed it."

Apparently she also held a great affinity for gardening "au naturel" as well. That is were I draw the line in tailgating her horticulture directions.

Anywhoooo...... Cess and I were walking out by my herb garden and moseying around the property and I noticed all of the dandelion's that have popped up everywhere. My husband deplores this weed, I do not. First of all, it is not a weed, it is an herb.

(Taraxacum officinale) is a member of the Daisy family, Compositae, and is native to Europe and eastern Asia. The name comes from the French, 'dent de lion' - lion's tooth, referring to the jagged leaves. This plant is tenacious, despite many folk’s best efforts to eradicate her from their lawns, and I have to stick up for the poor dear. However she has many other faithful lovers and you can read much more about all of the wonderful uses for the flower, leaves and roots here: http://www.folkremediesforyou.com/dandelions-are-beneficial-herbs/ or here: http://www.learningherbs.com/dandelion_recipes.html.

The reason why I have such an affection for them is because they remind me of my mom. When I was little I used to gather bouquets of dandelion's for my mom and proudly bestow my efflorescent offering. She would always take the gift and exclaim how beautiful and marvelous they were and say sweet little things like, "where in the world did you get such gorgeous flowers?" pretending like she had no idea that I had been in the yard yanking away at what some call noxious weeds. Then we would flop on the grass. The warm sun would beam on our skin and I felt like a golden healing light was radiating down upon us. She would always tickle mine and my sister's chins with the flower and rub a bit on to our skin saying, " If your skin turns yellow, it means you like butter!" ( Well, that was an early insight into my Epicurean life long devotion to my beloved sweet cream sticks of fat!)

Later when my my sister Shannon was old enough to learn the ropes, I would show her how to weave beautiful dandelion crowns to wear in our hair, or how to squeeze out all of the sticky milky sap that was in the stems that I found so delightfully gross. If you have never had the absolute pleasure of making a wish and blowing on a dandelion flower that has turned to seed, I feel very sorry for you. The cotton like puffs are whisper soft and POOF they float off into the heavens to go and catch your dreams for you. We would squeal with pleasure and do it again. I must have picked thousands of dandelions over the course of my childhood to give to my mom, and it was the same sweet reaction with each freshly picked bunch.

(Sheri and Shannon)

After having my own children, and having the little yellow flowers bestowed unto me in copious amounts over and over again, I now know what she knew. They were precious. Those flowers were given with a pure heart full of pride and all of the love that you could ever want to show your mom in a dirty handful of yellow goodness. I loved them, and still do this day. Yes, I think it would be just dandy to receive a vase full of dandelions for Mother's Day over anything they could purchase at a floral shop.

Mom, I may have bought you flowers, but I am sending you dandelion's in my heart. Happy Mother's day to the most amazing woman I know.

Sheri~ xxoo

Shoes to Share & The Game of Life

2010-05-08T01:24:00.000+02:00

Here are the photo's from the past two weeks I have received, and some of the shoes that I have been wearing...I have also worn my red sneakers and red wool boots and red croc's a LOT lately!

Mary Ann's Slippers

MARY ANN IS OUR APRIL DRAWING WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS MARY ANN!

YOU WIN A FREE RED SHOES FOR RWANDA T-SHIRT!

Bonnie's Shoes

Linda's shoes:

Pam's shoes:

Sheri's (mine) Boots:

Jacob's Adidas Sneakers Cecily's loafers

Cecily's Sandal's

Sheri's loafers:

Sheri's Pumps:

More Boots: (my uniform when it is raining out, which is still frequently is levi's and boots!)

Jacob and I spent a whole day setting up our green house, getting ready to " plant and pot " and working
with our new seedlings and seeds!

Our finished greenhouse: (say a prayer, talk to them, and will them to stretch towards the heavens.)

Look how much they have SPROUTED since last Wednesday! You can almost watch them grow before your very eyes! The ones on the top right hand shelf were beans that grew from SEED since last Wednesday!

I've been trying to keep up with healthful baking for my family as well. Chicken pot pie was the order of the night, and here is a batch of hot freshly baked bread. Since we have been so busy, I make extra and freeze some for later so we can just pull something healthy out at a moment's notice. Of course there are many "crash and burn" / "let's have a pizza" nights as well...

Red Shoes all set up and prepped for the photographer. It takes a lot of work taking 50 pairs of shoes out of boxes, carrying them downstairs and then boxing them up again and hauling them back! ( I know....whaaaaa! right?!? LOL! ) Jacob was my side kick and helped me out.

My kids love to play, "The Game of LIFE". Isn't that what we all get to do indefinately as adults? I'm glad they can have fun with it now, then if something goes wrong, they can just put the board away or hand over ome fake money. Oh if it only it were so simple! :) I'm just so glad that for now they can dream big and enjoy LIFE!

Sheri~ xxoo

Cestial Support (no, not pantyhose...)

2010-05-07T23:16:00.000+02:00

Well, hello! Where the HECK have you been? :) I have missed hearing from you all! You never write any more! What's up!?!

I myself have had a lot going on in my life the past few weeks. Pull up a chair and I'll tell you about it.
We have all heard the expression, "when it rains, it pours", and most of us at sometime have also experienced what is commonly known as "writers block". Well, I have experienced both in the past few weeks.

My husband and I have decided that we would like to pursue a position with his company for him that would involve a big step for us and our family. We have thought and prayed, and sought out information about the area's and the job position and he decided to go for it. At first, we thought we would be moving quickly. As in SUPER quickly. It was all a lot for me to take in. We plan on keeping our home in Washington on the peninsula, as a vacation/retirement home for our children and our future, so I started sorting out what we would take, what we wouldn't what should go, what shouldn't, cleaning, cleaning and cleaning, dropping off copious amounts of crap at Goodwill, donating books we no longer need and discovering that I really do not need all of the tupperware I had stuffed into this freaking cupboard that drives everyone nuts as it all tumbles out whenever you open the door. I was looking for boxes, packing, and preparing. Then, John returns from his interview process, and they (" Corporate" (that sounds so " Dunder Mifflin-ish, don't it!?!)) decided they would offer John two months to work in the position and see if was a good fit both ways. Oh. okay. So I was able to slow down on that a bit. Shortly after that decision was made to send him to the new job area, (Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention it is in California!) we notice that our septic system is messed up. A pipe way down in the yard broke. What a mess! Don't you deplore spending money on stuff like sewer repairs, when you would rather buy say, shoes!? :) That was taken care of, and then the same weekend I broke off the very front part of my tooth. It hurt, and again, it was an expense that no one ever wants to pay for out the ying yang. I hate our DMO that we used to have (they are the ones that I had to complain to because instead of nice relaxing elevator music, or hell, Kenny G or even Yani playing, they blasted Guns and Roses or Whitesnake from the speakers. I like both of those groups, just not when I am nervous or having my teeth and gums worked on. So, I called 1-800-DENTIST, and they put me in touch with one of the most expensive dentists in the Puget Sound area. He kept telling me I need to consider having my diastema (the gap between my two front teeth) closed, and then he said, "or is that just your "thing"?". Well, ummm, yeah sort of since I was born with it and all. I am in no way going to get braces put on for my 40th birthday present this year. Orthodontistry is not something I would choose to spend money on at this time of our lives when our daughter just got accepted to a 40 grand a year college. So that was taken care of. Deep breaths. Next on the agenda was a surgical procedure that John had been needing to have done on his nose. He had a nose job! LOL! Actually, they went waaaaaaay up inside of his nostrils (like close to his brain, up) and then snipped and moved and sutured it all back together in this supernatural way. I mean, serisouly: HOW do you get a needle and thread way up your nose? He has had several surgical procedures done before, and said none of them have caused the pain like this one. The shoved sponges up in there and then gauzed it up, and sent us to the pharmacy for loads of happy pills. That night, I had to stay up until 5 am because he kept trying to pull and tug at them (they had to stay in there) and watch him suffer through the night breathing solely from his mouth. Poor dude. That morning we had to be back to the doctors office to have the sponges removed by 8 am. We live 45 minutes away, so that was a fun trip. That day we both got home and just crashed. He was in a LOT of pain (and he is tough...) and still had splints up his nose for the week afterward. That same week was the first week that he flew to California (all of last week) and he has been gone all of this week as well. That week our very large dog Sashee got sick (both ends) and I spent three days basically cleaning up after her, the poor thing. She is a huge Rottweiler/Black Lab mix, and she is aging and has become quite aggressive. Last night she snipped at me, which she has never done before, and on Saturday, she went after our dear mail lady, Mary Ann. It scared us half to death! That same week, World Vision Magazine sent out a photographer, "Abby", who was going to take photos for the article they wrote about RSFR that hopefully will go to press this fall. She was great, helping me move shoes here or there and she took loads and loads of photos. It was fun! She was telling me that she will soon be going to an Orphanage in Rwanda with some of her colleagues, and, get this, CASTING CROWNS! (if you don't know who they are, stop right now, and youtube them!) I was so envious, but in a good way!
The rest of the past weeks have been a blur of planting and preparing our garden, homeschooling Jacob, which takes a few hours a day, helping Cecily fill out scholarship applications at night, and just doing "life". I am very happy about our new adventure we are about to embark upon. (You never know if you don't try, right?!) I am looking for housing in certain areas, and then I'll think I have hit upon the perfect looking small suburb, and then I'll Wikipedia it and find out about all the gang activity, or such....It is a process, and it will be interesting. SO, our plan is that he will work in CA flying home each weekend for the next two months (YEAH! He comes home tonight!) and if he is offered the position, I will stay here with the kids during the summer (we LOVE it here during the summer months!) and then we will all move down that way when it is time for us to take our daughter to school in late August/September. I'm sure the time will fly by, what with a graduation coming up, a 2 week trip to Mexico in July, and gardening, boating, etc! What a trip!

All through the past few weeks, I have felt overwhelmed at times, physically and emotionally drained, and even sad that I have to be away from John for such a long period of time. But you know, I have still been happy as a lark, healthy, and have not been in a constant state of worry. I attribute this to being sustained by God, his gentle reassurance to me that his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches over me too. He is my support and I am so glad I can just go to him and hand it all over and he will take care of it! :) A pretty handy benefit of faith, indeed! He will be my support in the months ahead as well.

So, I have really not had the time or inclination to write, or even spend much of my free time on the computer. I would rather hang out with my kids. I decided I had to list my priorities in order of importance and stick with them. Now that we are getting into our new routine, I will make more time to again post frequently and keep you all in the know. During the past few weeks, about $80.00 has come in for RSFR, and I am so thankful.

Thank you so much for you well wishes and concern, and for going ahead and supporting this by wearing your red shoes on Fridays and sending your pledges in.

Our April drawing winner for wearing her red shoes on Fridays is our mail lady, Mary Ann Stamper! I am so glad she won! She has been such a source of encouragement to me with her emails and photo's she sends in. Thank you Mary Ann! You have won a Red Shoes for Rwanda T-Shirt. I only have size "large" left, but can order you a different one if you would like. Shipping is about 10 days. A lot of ladies have actually requested the larger size and seem to prefer it.

If you would like a t-shirt I have several left, just send me an email! I will actually try to post photo's later on today. Right now I have to run Cecily to the school and post office ! :)

LOVE & Blessings to you and yours,

Sheri ~ xxoo

So, here are some of my red shoe photo's from the past 3 weeks, ( I have still faithfully trucked along in red, EVERY DAY!) and some that others have sent in as well.

Wacial Wax, My Beautimus Hair & Bubba Drive Truck

2010-04-16T22:00:00.000+02:00

Well, I had an interesting week, and hope you did too! I was so excited when the photographer from World Vision Magazine contacted me! We will have some photo's done in the next couple of weeks!

My shoes for the week included a usual round of boots ( I love my new cowboy boots!) and some sandals made by the Fitzwell company, (Super comfy shoes!) and slippers.

***

I dropped off last month's prizes to Travis (Our monthly winner from March) ...his free t-shirt, some candy bars and beer for wearing his Red Shoes on a Friday in a show of support for RSFR. Don't forget to wear yours!

***

The t-shirts came in and they were a bit more of a fuschia and pink colored shoe than red, but they are

still super cute and I encourage you to order yours since so much of the profit goes to Red Shoes For Rwanda. They are 14.99 plus 4.99 shipping in the US. Just email me your size and address and payment method. redforrwanda@hotmail.com Thanks!

***

So, I was going to go get a manicure and do some shopping on Monday. Jacob and I were calling and calling the dogs to come into the house, and because Bubba is a trained bird dog he responds to the call of two sharp whistles from a dog call whistle as "come here right now". Well, Sashee and Lizzie came running but we could not find Bubba. We started looking in the house and down the road and praying he didn't run off. I was worried because there is a road down off of our street that some people drive very fast on, and I could picture him gettin hurt. All of a sudden I see from the corner of my eye exactly where Bubba was. He was ready to go!

I had loaded some items into the car earlier and when we went to call the dogs I had left my door open. Oh he knew he was in trouble, but the look on that face just cracked us up! He'll make a good doggie- husband one day....A boy that wants to go shopping and take you to get your nails done so badly that they'll drive you? Perfect! He deserves a medal!

***

So I'm at the Veitnamese Nail Salon that I love to patron and relaxing and feeling pretty good about myself. I love the treat of having a manicure! It is wonderful. As I am in my happy place, the young lady leans forward and says, " Ew wan wacial wax" ? "I'm sorry, what?" "Wacial Wax. We do in back. Weally fast, then you have no hair on face." "Um, oh. No thanks, not today."

Wow. I have NEVER waxed my face and I wasn't going to start. I've heard the old adage that once you start to pluck something out of a folicle you can never go back! I have a peach fuzz type of hair, or so I thought. So now I'm feeling like a un-shaven Yeti. Niiiiiice. She continued to do my nails and I tried not to let my embarassment and self-conciousness now show.

THEN, an angel was sent in to rescue me! Oh yes! This lady of about 40 comes in and she is a big girl with a southern drawl, which is odd to hear in Seattle. She started to get her nails done and then cracked open a Pepsi and turned her chair my way. " Huuney! WHAAARE do ya get yer hair done?! It is

BEE-A-UTIMUS!" "I'm sorry what?" I turn in my chair to see who else she is talking to behind me. She motions to my head. I'm stunned. She goes on in her thick drawl, " I go to this plaaace accross the waaater?" she says like it's a question. "It's called, if you can believe it, VAIN! IN'T that an embarrassin name!? Anyway, they charge may $300 a month and ma roots don't e'n eva match! So tell me, whaaare do you go?"

I had to smile because I kept thinking, "Well at least PART of the HAIR growing on my body looks GOOD!" LOL!!! Feeling like my ego had been partially restored, I thanked her profusely and told her my secret place, " my bathroom. I've colored my own hair for years because most of the time I have been unhappy with salon results anyway. It's a box of Revlon Colorsilk in Ultimate Sun Blonde and it costs all of $2.97 at Walmart." She choked on her soda a little and told me she had never seen "suuuch blended roooots! It's BEAUTIMUS! " (love that new to me word....) Now whenever I have gone into a salon, I have actually been asked if I am of African American desent because my hair is so corse and wirey and can be very difficult. But this works for me and and I think I converted a Southern Angel.

A call for help...

2010-04-16T05:14:00.000+02:00

I have been reading a book called Small Miracles. Do you believe in coincidence? Chance? Miracles? This book is about inadvertant incidences that occur at random that seem nothing short of a miracle. I want to share (para-phrase) a story (they are all short stories) that was in this book that really got me thinking this week:

There was a man who decided to take a walk. He rarely went on walks and when he did he never took this route he selected that night. It was almost dusk. His name was Greg O'Leary. Shortly after rounding a block he heard a rustling in some bushes and the sound of the tearing of fabric with muffled shouts for help. Someone was being attacked.

Within the next few seconds a lot went through his mind. "Should I get involved?, I'm not that big of a guy, I could get hurt, Should I just leave and go call 911?" He swiftly pushed all of his fears aside and decided that he would muster up the courage to do something. He flew into the bushes and with an energy and strength he did not know he possessed, he forcefully yanked the assailant off of the person laying on the ground. He yelled at the attacker with an angry fierceness and the man quickly ran off into what was now almost darkness.

Greg could hear a whimpering, crying voice that was still shaking with fear. "It's okay now!",
"I'm hear to help you and you are safe now" he said.
It got very quiet and then the voice said,

"Dad? Is that you?"

This and many, many more stories show us that miracles do occur when we are willing to help them happen, and also that when someone is in need we really do have a responsiblility in morality to reach out and help them. This is partially why I started Red Shoes For Rwanda. I hurt for these children who are in desparate need of help, and I thought , "What if they were my children? Would someone help them?" Some people say "karma" will bite you in the butt if you don't, but I think there is more to it than that. We shouldn't do good unto others just so that we get that in turn back. We should do it for ourselves. It helps mold our character and makes us into better people. If nothing is ever given back to you in return for a kind gesture or act, that is okay. It still makes you feel better to do the right thing. An excellent question I need to ask myself almost everyday about a half a million things is, "If not now, then when?"

It is soooo easy to look the other way. Please be part of the team that is willing to reach out and help these kids. You never know. Someday it could be yours.

Jan., Feb., Mar., Donations & Financial Report

2010-04-12T00:35:00.000+02:00

THE FINANCIAL REPORT:

Well, to some this post is going to seem a bit boring, but in actuality, it is VERY exciting. It will be the last one I do until the end of June/beginning of July.
At first I felt a bit awkward when I thought of writing this. I normally like to make benevolence and tithing and giving a private matter...."a matter of the heart", not telling anyone what we are up to. This has to be a bit different since it is a FUND RAISER. Just as most fund raising pages (say you are donating to a race or bowling benefit, etc...) will list the names and amounts of the benefactors, I am going to do that as well. I think it is inspiring to see the gifts. It can encourage everyone to do just a bit more. No amount is better than another. To one person ten bucks may be a huge sacrifice. To another person two thousand dollars may not really be all they could be giving. It is just a matter of your own heart and pocketbook/budget and what you know you should do, or what you feel led to be doing. So, none of this is about "showing off", a competition, bragging, embarrassing, or such. I felt led to wear red shoes for a year. I am well aware of the fact that not everyone would be called to do such a thing, or even understand it, but there are other people doing great things in great places that I could never or would never be called to do. Please bear this in mind when you read over the financial aspect of what is/has been done this far.

THE SHOES:

One thing I have decided I am very relieved about is the fact that John and I decided to purchase all of the red shoes ahead of time and throughout this project ourselves. A few have been gifted to me to use, but that is all. At the beginning of the RSFR idea, I thought about writing to companies asking for them to donate red shoes to the cause. I actually wrote to two separate companies, and then stopped. I decided I NEVER wanted people to think I was just trying to have some twisted scheme to get a bunch of FREE red shoes or something. Like I have said before, that is really weird, and not what this is about. I have already put some of the shoes I don't like or that do not fit well on Ebay in attempt to raise money with the proceeds going to RSFR. Most all of the shoes will be auctioned off at the end of the project ( I may keep a couple of pair for memories and to pass down to my grand kids someday with this crazy story!) with any of the proceeds going to World Vision International as well. Anyway, that is just a quick note about the shoes.

DONATION INFORMATION:

Donations have trickled in throughout the past few months, and I am confident that we are going to continue to raise more and more money for Red Shoes For Rwanda to ultimately donate to World Vision International. ( I will be traveling to Federal Way Washington and I will be bringing a check into their office hopefully this Tuesday.It is a couple of hours away, but John is going to work at his office there this week and offered to take me along. I have wanted to go to the offices before, and know I have mentioned it, but it has not worked out yet. I promise to also ( if I get to speak with someone!) find out about your tax deductible donations/receipts and how we will handle/take care of that.

I am including my personal pledge/donation and my husband is sending in his pledge for the year as well. We both pledged one dollar a day for every day that I wear red shoes. I know the year is not complete (duh) but that is ok....I know I will bring this into fruition and follow through with my word. We have the money right now, and holidays can be a "tight" time financially, so we decided to donate the remainder of our portion now. I have already paid in $143.00 toward my dollar a day pledge ($365.00 for the year) and he will pay his $365.00 now, so that is a total of $587.00 we still "owe", plus Paypal Fee's of $5.89. With that and the rest of the money that has been raised this far, we have :
$1266.39!!! This is the amount of the check I will be bringing in to World Vision International this week!!!!
I want to go ahead and give them money every few months so that: a.) I don't have to hold on to all of that money, and b.) The money can actually be used immediately for the cause instead of sitting in an account until next January. Makes good sense, no?

<-----MY "LIL" JAKE-MAN and his "Chuck Taylor Converse" So cool!

THE DONORS:

I want to always be transparent with this charity and be "an open book" so here are the donations sent in thus far: ( Personal account numbers/addresses, etc. have been blacked out for obvious personal identity protection reasons):

D.Prater 50.00,
E. and J. Hendricks, $36.50,
S. Gilreath $65.00,
J. Taney $10.00,
S. Ellis $143.00,
F.Gilreath $50.00,
A. Hakala $100.00,
A. Nave $50.00,
S. Morethouse $59.00,
M.Geis $10.00,
T. and L. Padilla $50.00,
M.Stamper $30.00,
Donation in J.Baker's name for her birthday $20.00.
J.Ellis $365.00
S.Ellis $222.00
PAYPAL FEE'S:
I appreciate Paypal Donations. Paypal charges fee's, however, and ultimately, I do not want their fee's to take away from contributions to RSFR. The total of the PP fee's incurred from 1/1/2010-today is: $5.89.
I will pay for that out of pocket without question. It is still worth having the Paypal Donation fee available to those who would rather pay with credit/debit cards. Any time you have a credit card service available there will be fee's. I feel that PP fee's are nominal enough that it is worth it to the charity to employ that service, thus I will continue to pay them out of pocket.

THE GOAL:
My goal for the year was/is to raise $3500.00 to give to World Vision. If everyone who has emailed me or verbally given me pledges fulfills their word we are over half way to reaching our goal and it is only the beginning of April! Yeah! I think we will far surpass this, and in June I think I may re-evaluate my original goal and post a new one.

THE NEED:

Please continue to tell people about the project, wear your red shoes in support, share the blog via email or if you feel led, send in some information to your local media/newspapers/press, etc...
We need all the exposure we can get.

And if you have not mailed in your pledge, please do so today! Just jot me a quick email telling me how much you will pledge to donate per day to redforrwanda@hotmail.com

I am also making up pledge sheets that can be sent around or carried with you so that people can quickly write down their pledge and receive a sheet of paper with information on it that we can mail out or give away....say you are at a party....perfect opportunity to have fun, reach out and make people aware of a desperate situation and show them that we are having fun raising money to help do something about it! Please email me at the address above if you are interested in those pledge sheets and/or business/info. cards.

THE T-SHIRT FUNDRAISER:

Don't forget that we have t-shirts that are FABULOUS that are now on sale. Order your
t-shirt today! They are only $14.50 plus $4.99 shipping and handling to anywhere in the United States. I got a GREAT deal on the t-shirts, so that $9.86 of every shirt sold will actually be profit that is going to Red Shoes for Rwanda! They will be in within the next 10 days or so, and you can bet I'll be wearing mine and distributing as many as possible ASAP ! :)

Thanks so much.
Love you all!
IT'S WORKING!!!!! :) (YEAH!!!!! )/ SHOUT OUT:

For those dear sweet orphans....we are working FOR YOU. YOU WILL NOT BE ABANDONED NOR FORGOTTEN.
( I want to give credit to my very encouraging best friend, amazing partner/husband, love of my life/soul mate John. I could not do this without him, and he means everything in the world to me! Thank you sweet-heart! I love you!) On a simple note.... Pretty much every thing that I am goes to my God....(there is a comfort in knowing that when everything in the world around me gets NUTS, HE knows, He cares, He sustains me.......)

SHERI xxooo

Friday's Shoe Supporters April 8, 2010 and our MARCH GIVE AWAY WINNER

2010-04-11T22:29:00.000+02:00

Mine this week: red western boots, red "rubba bubba" boots, red slippers (sorry no photo) and these awesome Gabriella Rocha Sandal/pumps that I just wore around the house in my pj's because it was a gross day outside and I felt like looking fabulous!

Thank you to the following who sent me photo's of themselves wearing red shoes in support of RED SHOES FOR RWANDA:

My neighbor Bonnie: Awesome as always....I really am liking these! What brand Bonnie? Thanks! xo

---> Bonnie's

---> Pam's

There is nothing like a nice cute comfy red slipper to pad around in. Thanks Pam! Your support means a lot to me!

My cousin in Boston is wearing FABULOUS red shoes! SO cute! I like the blog she is reading on her computer as well :) Thanks Mel! Love you!

Jenn Baker lives all the way down south and is gardening in her RED CROC's....Jenn supports me through her blog by advertising and I appreciate her so much! Thanks Jenn! Check out her cute fun to read and inspiring blog at LIFE IN BONETOWN !

Here are my cute always supportive red shoe wearing neighbor girls Katlyn and Bridget! Bridget had a "jammie" day too! It must have been that day that it snowed. Thanks girls! xo

Thank you all very much! I appreciate your support. The above photo's will go into our April drawing!

THE WINNER OF OUR MARCH RED SHOE FRIDAY SUPPORTERS IS:

By Random Generator, (Jasper pulled a name out of his hat while John stood by and observed for integrity purposes :) lol!) we did a drawing of all of the red shoe wearing supporters from March, and the winner is:
(This slays me!) MR. TRAVIS HITT! Our awesome neighbor! So, he wins a free t-shirt which I am sure he will end up giving to his wife or one of his lovely three daughters, since they are a bit girly :)
I have some other stuff I will throw in to make it a bit more of a win for Travis himself (beer...? lol!?)
Thanks Travis!

xxoo Sheri~

Prayers Like Shoes by Ruth Forman

2010-04-10T21:40:00.000+02:00

My uncle sent this to me via email, an old poem I thought I would share.....

Prayers Like Shoes by Ruth Forman

Prayers Like Shoes
I wear prayers like shoes
pull em on quiet each morning
take me through the uncertain day

don't know
what might knock me off course
sit up in bed
pull on the right
then the left
before shower before teeth

my mama's gift
to walk me through this life
she wore strong ones
the kind steady your ankles
i know
cause when her man left/ her children
gone/ her eldest son without goodbye
they the only ones keep her
standing
i saw her
still standing

mama passed on
some things to me
ma smile sense a disipline

ma subtle behind
but best she passed on
girl you go to God
and get you some good shoes
cause this life ain't steady ground
now i don't wear hers
you take em with you you know
but i suspect they made by the same company
pull em on each morning
first the right then the left
best piece of dress
i got

Family Happiness (MINUS FRIDAY) & our Easter Holiday 2010

2010-04-06T02:15:00.000+02:00

Friday I spent the day in a mad frenzy trying to do some last minute shopping for our Easter Holiday weekend and I spent about two hours at the doctor as well.

First of all, what is with people? Seriously!? There seems to be this breed of folk who would shove their grandmother under a bus to grab the best ham or largest pork loin or bumper crash your shopping cart out of the way to make sure they are not going to be the ones who are not getting shafted out of a Hazelnut coffee creamer supply for their weekend. I was ready to just sprinkle some magic freakin' fairy dust on my head and disappear from Wal-hell when I made myself realize it was then or nothing. There was NO way I was heading back into town from our cozy boon docks to face the frenzy yet again on Saturday. It would be worse for certain. So, Jacob and I mustered up the courage to hack it out, waiting in lines for prescriptions, butter, eggs and more importantly, wine.

It was a long day...my arm hurt from the botched phlebotomy prick from the blood suck I had to have taken and I was cranky from having to wait at the doctors office for my scheduled appointment to begin with. Why is it that we can be docked, charged, glared at and reprimanded if we are 4 minutes late to our appointment, yet there is not a problem with doctors overbooking and leaving us to sit in waiting rooms with sniffy snotty toddlers, snarling mothers and out of date magazine subscriptions for our entertainment pleasure. I tried to distract myself from the pain in my legs that was creeping and crawling as it had been for the past few weeks with a Better Homes and Garden from October that was giving me great recipe ideas for last Thanksgiving, but that was all ratty so I switched to the more riveting Golfers Digest. Nadda. Not even a mention of Tiger's indiscretion. BORING. Oh wait! That is because the magazine is from 1997!!! Note to self: always bring a book to the waiting room, or remember to download those NPR pod casts to listen to later.

By the time I got home I was tired, chilly, and even more pissed that I had not bothered to take my "Go Green" stash of cotton re-usable grocery totes in from the car to use instead of the crap thin plastic bags that ultimately ripped out and caused my Merlot that my tub and I were supposed to be having a date night with, to crash all over our driveway when we got home. The rivers of eggplant colored juice ran down, down down wastefully watering the gravel instead of quenching my parched disposition. Oh well, I settled for an Epsom salts bath and chamomile tea.

It snowed here on the peninsula on Friday, and made quite a mess, breaking of trees and trampling daffodils. I wore my Red Tretorn's and they were all I had dreamed of and more. Nice and warm and blocked out the precipitation.

Here are some pix of my handsome brother, pretty sister in law and darling nieces:

The doctor thinks I may be suffering from "Restless Leg Syndrome", or perhaps an iron deficiency. My legs just are acting weird. Sore, tingly, achy and maddening is the best way to describe how they make me feel. I now have a prescription for Valium, and I used it over the weekend. No wonder I had such a great Saturday and Sunday!

Actually I (we) love it when my brother, sister in law and their darling girls Bella and Kylea make it out for a visit! They are so cute! Saturday night we had enchilada's and beer margarita's. Beer Margarita's are one of those things that sound totally weird, if not gross, but are amazingly delicious! Here's what you do:

Take a huge pitcher. Pour in one can of semi-melted limeade. 2 Corona beers, 1 liter of 7-UP (Not Sprite! You can use diet 7 up too) and I throw in about 2 tsp. of salt, 3 cut p fresh Key Limes, and then you add tequila to your taste. (Usually a couple of cup fulls). Enjoy!

We had fun watching the girls dye Easter eggs, and I made sure the Easter bunny left behind a trail of foot prints for Kylea to find leading to her basket!

We piously agreed that since we attend church on a regular basis we could skip the long drive out of town to join all the people who only attend on Christmas Eve and Easter. :) (I'm kidding here , FYI...!)

We were all just too exhausted to travel, and loved just spending time hanging out, watching movies, and of course, eating. I made a pork loin, ham, scalloped potatoes, peas, deviled eggs, pineapple stuffing, rolls, and strawberry shortcake for dessert, which we never even got around to!

A yummy salad recipe that we all loved was one I made up last week to serve for an appetizer:

Mescalin greens

caramelized onions

homemade Gorgonzola dressing

smoked almonds

Japanese Apple Pears

Molasses cookies croutons

The croutons wear a bit over cooked, so I threw in some regular homemade ones.

I did wear my red "rubba bubba boots" yesterday and red slippers around the house on Saturday.

Yeah...Can't tell they are cousins! LOL! :)

I hope you had a great weekend! Thanks again for all of your support. I'll keep you posted on the RLS thing and what the doctor finds out from my blood work. I go back in to the doctor on Wednesday.

Thanks too, for your t-shirt orders! They should be in within 2 weeks and I am so excited to start seeing people wear them in support of Red Shoes for Rwanda!

MWAAAAAH!

Hope you had a lovely Resurrection Celebration...I was thinking of all my blog readers and sending out well wishes and prayers of love to you! Today (Monday) I am wearing house shoes (slippers) in red velour, resting my legs, and getting ready to have yummy left overs and watch Dancing with the Stars!

Sheri xxoo

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday....

2010-04-02T03:28:00.000+02:00

Tuesday was a brilliant day. Just saying that makes me feel English and smart and all musician-ee.

My son's home school co-op group took a field trip to Seattle on Tuesday, and it was to see a play at the Seattle Children's Theater called "Getting Close to Baby".

Seattle Childrens Theater

We then enjoyed a ridiculously expensive lunch ($9.00 for a Gyros sand which? Seriously!? Are they imported from Greece?) and then headed over to the main attraction, Experience Music Project. It is BRILLIANT. If you like music, you will like EMP.

EMP Seattle

Jake hasn't felt well lately due to seasonal allergies, so it was fun to watch him kick back, relax and have a ball! There are tons of interactive exhibits in addition to the Science Fiction Museum. If you are ever in our neck of the woods, I highly recommend checking it out. Jake is taking guitar lessons, so we bought a super cool AC-DC guitar pick as a souvenir as well as my favorite: a Guns and Roses sticker! A great day, spent with a great kid. Check out his red shoes :)

I wore my red Roper boots on Tuesday and again on Wednesday to school. I stuck around the house today in my red slippers, and have enjoyed doing some online promotional work for RSFR in addition to planning out our yummy menu for the weekend. My brother and sister in law and two nieces who are the cutest girls on the planet are coming over for the weekend/holiday and we are all pretty stoked!

Sorry the photo's are not great....you are not allowed to use flashes w/in the museum, so I just used my camera phone!

I love his red Converse! Thanks Jake!

Happy Friday Everyone! Order your t-shirt now in support of Red Shoes For Rwanda!

xxoo Sheri~

Place your T-Shirt Order!

2010-03-30T08:36:00.000+02:00

I apologize that the image is a tad fuzzy. This is the first t-shirt up for sale with proceeds going toward the RED SHOES FOR RWANDA FUND.

The print says:

Red Shoes For Rwanda

Make a pledge and change lives.

www.redshoesforrwanda.blogspot.com/

Please email me your size and address and how many you would like. The shoe color on the shirt is a tad "pinker" than I would have liked, but the price is amazing and I am super excited about these cute walking advertisements!

I will be doing a more unisex look on a shirt in a few weeks. I realize this one is a tad "girly", but please purchase one and show your support of our project!

Out of country orders will be subject to higher postal costs, but I'll get them to you as inexpensively as possible.

Small, Medium, Large or X-Large Adult Sizes only

$14.00

$4.95 flat rate shipping and handling to anywhere in the USA.

Thanks so much!

~~Red Shoes For Rwanda~~

Swapped My Shoes for Hospital Reg. Non-Skid Socks

Yanked Out the Old File of Christmas Cards.....

Feels like a partial Holiday Letter Going out early...

What's New & My Week of Torpid Telly Watching

Exodus Maximus 2 Santer Barburus

The Queen of Hearts is All Thai'ed Up

My Rose Colored Glasses Broke Again

Kitchen Clown Ballet, Decorating, & being inspired by Little Mannikin Pis

Scat, Tunnels & Clothespins

The Weight of Whine

Computer Funeral

Are Your Relatives as Weird as Mine?

A Quick Post to "Keep you in the know"...

Taraxacum Officinale vs. Tela Flora Boquets

Shoes to Share & The Game of Life

Cestial Support (no, not pantyhose...)

Wacial Wax, My Beautimus Hair & Bubba Drive Truck

A call for help...

Jan., Feb., Mar., Donations & Financial Report

Friday's Shoe Supporters April 8, 2010 and our MARCH GIVE AWAY WINNER

Prayers Like Shoes by Ruth Forman

Family Happiness (MINUS FRIDAY) & our Easter Holiday 2010

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday....

Place your T-Shirt Order!

Red Shoes For Rwanda