Total Momsense

Ode to Adipose

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Well, I've purposely avoided all the New Year's resolution hoopla by, you know, just not blogging at all.

Personally, I'm not a fan of resolutions because I tend to get carried away, and before you know it I've come up with so many resolutions that if I actually followed through on a third of them I would be completely unrecognizable to myself and all who know, er, knew me.

And then I usually end up making some sort of chocolate cake and further validating my belief that New Year's resolutions are not part of my personal mission statement.

And speaking of chocolate cake...

I just finished a book titled Why Women Need Fat by Dr. William D. Lassek and Dr. Stephen J.C. Gaulin. I have to tell you, this is the kind of book I can get behind. It has a very clear and encouraging title, and it has a picture of a very appetizing chocolate dessert.

And then? It tells us that by eating said chocolate and other various fats, we can look like Jessica Alba.

Well, sort of.

The basic premise is this- that when the food industry started using cheap hydrogenated oils we started getting fatter. Then they give pages and pages of fascinating studies on everything from why the Europeans and Japanese are smaller and healthier than us to why men find Playboy models attractive (and incidentally, it's not for the two reasons you think. Ahem.) to how important waist size is to our health.

And then- they tell us to use heavy cream, and butter, and eggs, and all the things that the mean old diet books of yore have told us to avoid.

And you know what? It makes total sense.

And you know what else? I've followed the guidelines for two weeks and I have lost five pounds. Eating cream cheese, and Gouda, and cream, and cheese, and red meat, and cream cheese. Did I say cream cheese? I'm absolutely serious.

So, you should click on over to BlogHer and check out more reviews on the book, and then maybe you ought to run out and get the book. I've never been happier losing weight.

Ask Coach. He's a believer. A stunned believer, but a believer all the same.

See Y'all!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

One

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 06:27:00 +0000

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter's shop until He was thirty. Then, for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never had a family or owned a home.

He never set foot inside a big city.

He never traveled more than two hundred miles from the place He was born.

He never wrote a book or held an office. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness.

While he was still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends deserted Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had-- His coat.

When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave.

Two thousand years have come and gone, and today He is the central figure for much of the human race.

All the armies that have ever marched and all the navies that have ever sailed and all parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that have ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as this

One. Solitary. Life.

Merry Christmas!

**Reprinted from a Christmas program. Author unknown, but it's not me.

See Y'all!

Sunday Supper: Revival Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:23:00 +0000

I just broke a fingernail into the quick and tripped over the computer cord which would normally render me useless for the rest of the evening, but I've decided to persevere.

I am one day of grading exams away from total liberation and full-on holiday jubilation!

So, tomorrow I'll layer on the polar fleece, sit myself next to the Christmas tree with a box full of exams and threaten to shoot anyone who talks to me with the Red Rider BB Gun.

Oh yes, we absolutely have one, and don't think I won't use it. Just ask the dang rabbits that ate my tomatoes this summer. And the moles. And the owls. And the foxes. And the coyotes. And the possum. And the annoying little black dog that runs through here every morning.

I have lovingly named the summer of 2011 The Summer of the Wild.

Aaaaaah summer. When my yard looked like this...

And we ate things that were growing on a vine mere minutes before they were in our mouths. I'm already dreaming of Summer 2012; I'm also planning a garden expansion; Coach will be thrilled.

Speaking of summer, late in the summer Coach and I went to see his college roommate, B. Mac, at the Tomato Fest in Nashville. He was cooking Jambalaya, and his parents were here from New Orleans. The first time I met his momma I fell in love with her, and honestly, that is why I wanted to go; I'm not big on trying new foods. So we went.

Coach offered me a bite of the jambalaya. I didn't want to be rude, so I partook.

Y'all. Y'ALL. It changed my life.

I told him we needed to do a video cooking segment for the blog, but he has three kids, a wife, a job, a dog, and an impressive addiction to LSU athletics. So, obviously he's having a big year, and I've been swamped with Momsense here which has prevented any Creole cinematography.

So, instead, we went to their house the very next day, kept all three kids from napping and forced B. Mac to write the recipe down while he tried to eat his lunch. I'm not even kidding.

Now, I need to tell you a few things. Apparently B. Mac and his momma make two different types of Jambalaya. B. Mac makes the hoity-toity Creole kind with tomatoes and butter, which from what I understand, is very controversial to the Cajuns, who make a more countrified type of cuisine.

And Cajun is how Mrs. Bonnie makes her Jambalaya. (I have her recipe too. I need to ask her if it's okay to make it public- if it is, I'll post it.) Rumor has it that sausage is also a controversial ingredient- and some use seafood.

I don't care if they put dirt in it, this stuff is a game changer. Anyway, I made a slight tweak in B. Mac's recipe, and I feel like I need to confess that now in case his head blows off when he reads this. (I'm not a Louisiana native and certainly not well-schooled in NOLA cuisine.) His recipe calls for 1 pound of "ham seasoning" cut up, but I used bacon.

You can never go wrong with bacon. I don't think.

My personal belief is that any dish that combines two different types of smoked pork product is blessed by the Lord Himself, but just in case I broke some Cajun cooking law, I wanted to take responsibility so that B. Mac's street cred isn't questioned because of my naivete.

Another disclaimer- This recipe will make enough Jambalaya to feed the LSU football team. Seriously, our family of five eats it for dinner and we put away two LARGE Rubbermaid containers full. You could easily cut it in two and still feed 6-8 people easily. I make the full batch because we have a 15-year-old and Coach.

B Mac's Jambalaya
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 pound bacon diced (this is a deviation from B Mac. He says use "ham seasoning")
1 large onion, diced
6 ribs celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2-3 bay leaves
4 cups white rice

In a LARGE stockpot (at least 7 quarts), cook bacon until done. Remove bacon, but leave drippings. Add sausage and brown in batches. Don't crowd the sausage. (I don't know why it matters, but B. Mac and Julia Child agree on this one, so it must be important.) Remove and brown all sausage. Repeat process with chicken.

When all meat is browned and set aside, add the butter to the drippings. Then add the onion, pepper, and celery and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. TASTE. Add more seasoning as you see fit. I always see fit with the cayenne.

Add the bay leaves and chicken stock and return to a boil. Pour in UNCOOKED rice and return to boil.

Then add meat back in, stir thoroughly, and lower heat to a simmer. Let simmer 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove the bay leaves.

Now, go make yourself some and eat until your sick!

See Y'all!

Time For a Sea Change

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:03:00 +0000

I love to read. There was a time I would read anything I could get my hands on. My mom would tell you that she spent the better part of my 19th summer worried about me because I chose to read The Autobiography of Henry VIII for fun. It was longer than War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, and my mom would swear it was longer than the Bible. I don't really know, but I've read those three from cover to cover as well.

The last few years I've been devoted to chick lit. It's entertaining and light, but not anything that will give the medulla oblongata any sort of meaningful workout.

Enter Sea Change by Jeremy Page. I read it. It's not chick lit. It's not funny. It's not light. But, it was intriguing and haunting and terrifying at times. Page reminds you constantly that "life has an elegance about it sometimes, of moments playing out you never thought would." It's those moments that he writes about: the string of moments in your life that seem surreal and distant, the moments that make you, the moments that ultimately break you.

Guy has lost his daughter in a freak tragedy which subsequently causes his divorce from his wife Judy. Unable to deal with the loss, Guy lives on a barge in the North Sea where he spends his days passing time and his nights creating the life he lost in a journal. It's a fascinating concept. He just writes the life he imagines he would have had. He is paralyzed by his grief and his past, and you honestly feel like you will drown in a sea of grief with him. Just as the writing becomes unbearable, Page throws you a life preserver- a love interest, a storm, something to bring you back to the light, and then he you are forced to dive into the grief again.

Sea Change is not uplifting, but it's not hopeless. It's not entertaining, but it's mesmerizing. Just as grief is surprising with its many ironies, so is this novel. Page has been able to freeze pivotal moments in the grieving process and drive readers to compassion.

So, if you're looking for light-hearted holiday entertainment, this isn't your book. But, if you're ready for an honest and introspective story about a man who loves and loses his family, this one's for you.

If you want to read more about Jeremy Page and Sea Change, go here. There are discussions, reviews, and summaries for you.

"I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review but all opinions expressed are my own."

See Y'all!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:41:00 +0000

The mall halls are decked, the movies are playing, and the music has started.

It's officially holiday season.

Yesterday I ordered a fresh turkey from a farm in East Tennessee because Coach wanted to have our very own Thanksgiving here which will include all the kids helping with the cooking, china, silver, manners, and maybe even shoes. It has Griswold written all over it.

Of course, all of this will take place on Thanksgiving Eve because we both have humongous family celebrations on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving will begin with all 5 of us running the Turkey Trot 5K to help Graceworks before we eat a celebratory Krispy Kreme and race home to dress for the day's festivities.

And you know what? I can totally relax then because the Christmas Card is complete! It will be addressed, stamped, and mailed Wednesday afternoon, so those babies will start arriving first thing Friday morning!

And then....

IT'S ON!!!

In the meantime, here's a preview. I feel very old. VERY OLD. The kids were not amused at our idea, but we didin't let that stop us. Some friends of ours did this last year, and I cried when I opened it, so we hijacked their idea (Thank You Reynolds Family!).

I'm climbing back on the blog horse this week. I have a book review coming, some recipes, and maybe an adventure or two!

Bright Merry Cheer Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly's collection of Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

See Y'all!

A Little Love

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:14:00 +0000

Y'all. Y'ALL. Life. Has. Spiraled. OUT. OF. CONTROL. School started 9 weeks ago, and we've been on a death march from day 1. I'm hoping it will slow down a bit. But, I haven't been totally devoid of joy.

Coach has been dustbusting with a vengeance this season as he has taken a new job as a defensive coordinator. It's becoming more and more difficult for me to fake any sort of football knowledge. He uses words like Wildcat, and Defensive Line. I tell him that I know First Down, Off-Sides, and Touchdown Tennessee! He tries to hide his disgust as he suggests that I enroll in a Football 101 course, but I don't need a class to enjoy this....

We're enjoying a very fruitful season at our little school. We have a new head coach, and he has injected a little life into the program. It's one of the joys of my week to see my boys enjoy lavish success. And while we're on the subject of football and lavishness...

Mmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmmm. I do love this man's pants. And I'm going to see them this weekend up close and in person. There will be pictures.

I've also been having an affair with Pinterest. You want to follow me? I'd love it. I'm addicted. And I have a burning desire to redecorate my house.

Speaking of love affairs. Have you made Ree's Cajun Chicken Pasta yet? No? Do it now. RIGHT NOW. You won't be sorry. I changed things up a bit and added a couple of handfuls of parmesan cheese to the sauce. My family devoured it like unmannerly wolves.

And my last love for today is this book- Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons. I can't tell you how much I'm loving it. Get yourself a copy, grab some tea, and go sit out in the fall weather and enjoy a fiction blessing.

And I also had one of the most pleasurable afternoons of the fall yesterday at the auto repair shop. I'll tell you about it soon. I'm thinking about going back today just for the ambience. You think I'm kidding. I'm absolutely not. In the meantime, you all enjoy the fall temperatures (unless you're not having fall temperatures, and in that case, I am so sorry, because OH MY WORD the weather here is FABULOUS!!!)

See Y'all,

Sunday Supper: Best Darned Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Like I said earlier, I spent the majority of my summer doing exactly what I planned on doing. That NEVER happens. Now, I had also planned on blogging regularly and finishing a novel, and neither of those tasks were completed, but at least I made a stab at it.

You might not know this about me, but follow-through is not exactly my strong suit; I lose interest in things pretty quickly. I have managed to stick with parenting for almost 15 years, which is a record for me and stick-with-it-ness. I guess we can chalk that up to the fact that there's no real way not to follow through on that task without going to jail.

So the parenting gig has been good for me.

The cooking gig has been good for me too. Well, for my taste-buds, not so much for my hind-end. I did a lot of cooking and canning and kitchen-related minutiae over the summer, and I managed to perfect some things.

And so, I'll start sharing.

Best Darned Barbecue Sauce
You'll never buy another bottle of sauce as long as you live. Not. Even. Kidding.

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/4 whole Onion, Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons (additional) Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Distilled Vinegar (less To Taste)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Molasses
1 Small Can of Chipotle Adobo Sauce (the adobo sauce chipotle peppers are packed in- just pull the peppers out, but for the love of all that is holy, do NOT lick your fingers. Trust me.)
Dash Of Salt

Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for five minutes, stirring, being careful not to burn them. Reduce heat to low. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Best Darned Cookie: Lemon White Chocolate Chip
If you need a wedding/baby shower cookie, this is your girl. If you just need a good cookie, this is still your girl.

2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 cup Butter-Flavored Crisco
1-½ cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Zest of One Lemon
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream (up To 4 Tablespoons)
1 ½ cup White Chocolate Chips
Optional: Raw Sugar or Colored Sprinkles, For Sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Add enough of the cream to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet. Mix in chocolate chips. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on a ungreased cookie sheet and slightly flatten the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with raw sugar or colored sprinkles.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.

Best Darned Cookie #2: Rolo Cookies
I found this one on Tasty Kitchen, and modified it a bit. AC practiced her baking and her fractions by baking these babies. You're welcome.

1 cup Sugar, Plus Extra To Roll Cookies In
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter Or Margarine
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 whole Eggs
2-½ cups Flour
¾ cups Unsweetened Cocoa
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
36 Rolos- unwrapped of course

Beat sugars and butter together until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour, cocoa, and soda. Mix well. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

Shape 1 tablespoon of dough around 1 Rolo (unwrapped, of course), covering it completely. Roll each ball in white granulated sugar.

Place the balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375ºF for 8–10 minutes.

There's more where these came from, and I'll share over the next few weeks. I'm in a jambalaya coma right now. Coach's college roommate, a native of Louisiana, gave me a Creole recipe. I'm a little green on the whole Creole/Cajun thing, but I'm fascinated. Apparently there is a whole controversy over using sausage or not, using butter or not, and using tomatoes or not. And since I do love a good food-related fuss, I do see a cook-off in our future. Anyway, more on the jambalaya later.

In the meantime, go barbecue some chicken legs and eat some cookies. You'll thank me later.

See Y'all!

Thus and Such

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:58:00 +0000

Because sometimes, the list is a God-send.

1. I miss reading any old time I want to. I did just finish a great read though. I might have mentioned it a time or eighty. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. It made me fall in love with New York all over again, and re-emphasize my desire to live their, briefly, some day. He's a little less committed to my NYC dreams. Anyway, Rules of Civility is a must-read. I reviewed it on BlogHer, so you can check out my full review here.

2. Someone is turning 11 this weekend. Stop for awe and wonder. We've been celebrating since April. She loves a thorough baptism of celebration. She also loves Lay's Potato Chips- plain. She put them on her birthday list. Along with a Nook, Tom's shoes, frozen yogurt gift cards. Her list reminds me of a desperate grocery store purchase over the summer which included an Us Magazine, Stri-Dex, Kraft Caramels, Hebrew National Hot Dogs, nail polish, and some pickled relish. It's like I was stricken with the palsy.

3. In honor of AC's birthday I am making a red velvet cake. FROM A BOX. I NEVER do that. Really, I don't- it's a travesty. It's like making Hamburger Helper and calling it dinner. Hamburger Helper being scarfed down whilst standing in front of the fridge, however, is a totally different story. Anyway, I had to make the hard decision between baking all day Saturday or floating in my float reading the books that are screaming to be opened from my Nook. So, box it is. And honestly, it was really more a stress reliever because the amount of red food coloring that you have to put in a homemade cake just sends me over the edge. And it reminds me of the bleeding armadillo groom's cake scene from Steel Magnolias. So, box it is.

4. We've been in school for 7 days. That means 173 more to go before I am back on the beach on Hilton Head Island, and don't think for one minute that I am not keeping an up to the minute count down.

5. And, speaking of countdowns, we are a mere 3 weeks away from this...

PRAISE GOD! And I'm about to bust a stitch. Marching bands, whistles, majorettes, Smokey, the smell of bourbon and body odor- well, I cannot wait.

6. I love the song "Good Intentions" by Randy Travis. It's exactly the right beat for my running speed. Sad, but true. AC/DC had to go off the old iPod a while ago after a sprained ankle, torn spandex, and a terribly bruised ego. Anyway, I've been INTENDING to get a couple of posts up for a while. This week I've jumped off the road to Hell and committed to it. One on good anti-aging products. And one I'm going to call "Best Darned" as in the best darned food in many categories that you've ever eaten.

Until then...

See y'all!

Little Piggies

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:23:00 +0000

This little piggie went to high school.

This little piggie stayed home.

This little piggie went to middle school.

And this little piggie went for a run.

And this little piggie?

She went "Waaaaah Waaaaaah Waaaaaah" all the way home.

I'm convalescing. I'm mourning. I'm staring at crow's feet and enlarged pores wondering where my toddlers went. I might be over it tomorrow. Hope for the best.

See y'all!

Summer Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:43:00 +0000

I think I have said it before, this summer has been a summer of fun here. There's been a lot of swimming, eating, playing, laughing, cooking, and reading. LOTS of reading. From the time I was old enough to read I have devoured books. I love all sorts of books: biographies, memoirs, fiction, religion/theology, history - pretty much anything.

Anyway, the summer allows me time to read for fun. I don't do a whole lot of heavy reading, because it's hard to really appreciate Camus when you're dodging Nerf balls and diving children playing spirited games of Green River.

So, if you're wanting to pick up a good read or eleven, check the list. I've got more where these came from, but it's a good start.

1. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

I read this one for a second time because the movie is coming out in a mere 9 days. And y'all. Y'ALL. It was so much better the second time around. The characters, the plot, the history, the language. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it all. It may possibly be the best book I've read in decades. If you've never had the pleasure of reading a book that runs the gamut of emotions, then get yourself to a bookstore and buy this book. You'll laugh, you'll get mad, you'll cry (I even ugly cried once or twice), and when it's over you'll be ready to flip back to page one and start all over again.

2. Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived - Rob Bell

Whoa baby. This book has sparked all sorts of controversy. A hot mess of controversy. So naturally, I had to read it. I'll say this- it's a fascinating read. It causes you to really think and question your spiritual beliefs. I love that. I don't agree with Bell on many points, but he raises some important questions and he challenges the Christian reader to address beliefs regarding the afterlife.

3. Erasing Hell: What God said about eternity, and the things we made up - Francis Chan

Again, whoa baby. This is Chan's answer to Rob Bell's book. Another thought provoking, but much more biblical discussion about Hell, it's existence, and what we believe about the afterlife. It may not be your cup of tea, but it's absolutely worth the read. Chan is a very accessible theologian, but not condescending or elitist. I like that; I am not a fan of theological or academic snobbery. That's a post for another day though, because I have some feelings there. Mama just needs to brush off her soapbox.

4. Long Drive Home: A Novel - Will Allison

And back to fiction we go. I hate to tell you this, but I've been a little gender-biased in my reading lately. I found I was only reading novels written by women. I like women writers. They get women. So far, I haven't really found a man who gets women. However, I have met many who have given it their best shot. I guess that's the best we can hope for.

Anyway, let's talk about Will Allison and his novel. The story begins with a tragic car accident that involves road rage, a split decision, and the ramifications of some really bad decisions. REALLY BAD. The dilemma I had with this particular book is that the entire time I was reading I kept clucking my tongue and thinking to myself, "You idiot, you're going to wreck your marriage and your family if you don't come clean about this." And then he does. I have to give it to Mr. Allison, he mastered the art of the disintegrating marriage. Creeping separateness is his theme, and homeboy nailed it. NAILED IT.

5. Gone with a Handsomer Man - Michael Lee West

I'll just let the Amazon review do the talking here, except to say- this one is doggone funny. It's also the a perfect book to read in a pool in South Carolina with a big cup of sweet tea and a free afternoon.

Teeny Templeton believes that her life is finally on track. She’s getting married, she’s baking her own wedding cake, and she’s leaving her troubled past behind. And then? She finds her fiancé playing naked badminton with a couple of gorgeous, skanky chicks.
Needless to say, the wedding is off. Adding insult to injury, her fiancé slaps a restraining order on her. When he’s found dead a few days later, all fingers point to Teeny.
Her only hope is through an old boyfriend-turned-lawyer, the guy who broke her heart a decade ago. But dredging up the past brings more than skeletons out of the closet, and Teeny doesn’t know who she can trust. With evidence mounting and the heat turning up, Teeny must also figure out where to live, how to support herself, how to clear her name, and how to protect her heart.

6. The First Husband: A Novel - Laura Dave

Laura Dave is one of my favorite authors. She's funny and she gets people. Have you ever read a book and watched the main character make a decision that you think you would never make in your real life, but you find yourself cheering for despite yourself? Yeah. That's this book. The basics- Annie has a stable relationship that turns out to be not so stable. So he leaves. She meets a new guy- a guy you have to LOVE, and she marries him. Then, you find yourself hoping she leaves perfect guy to return to the snake that left her, and well, you'll have to read the book to see what happens. I was romantically exhausted after this one- this one is fraught with drama.

7. What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen

I read this one for BlogHer book reviews. I liked it. I loved it. I want some more of it. Dessen gets girls, and she writes about real girls. Technically, it's a young adult novel, but I enjoyed it from beginning to end. You can read my review here, but my biggest praise is this- I can give this one to my 11-year-old daughter who loves herself some romance novels and not worry about language, sexual situations, or other topics that may be a bit advanced for her.

8. Folly Beach: A Lowcountry Tale (Lowcountry Tales) - Dorothea Benton Frank

LOVE Dottie Frank. I want to be her when I grow up. Her love for the South Carolina Low Country is 100% to blame for the one disagreement Coach and I have in our marriage. When our kids fly the coop this girl is heading straight for the Low Country. Coach has other ideas. Folly Beach is different from her other novels, there is some history about the Heywards and the writing of Porgy and Bess. If you are a Dottie Frank fan, this one is a little slower than her others, and you can tell she struggled some with the writing- honestly, I think this is the book she has wanted to write for years, but it just hadn't percolated long enough. It's good, don't get me wrong, but I'd be willing to bet Coach an RV that if we asked Mrs. Frank, she would tell us this one didn't take residence with her. That being said, she still makes me long for the Low Country.

9. Summer Rental - Mary Kay Andrews

Hello summer. Go now and get this book. Mary Kay Andrews ranks right there with Dottie Frank, and they usually publish novels within a month of each other. Andrews focuses more on the Georgia, and in this novel, the Outer Banks. Where Frank stays in the South Carolina Low Country, Andrews isn't afraid to take you travelling all over the South. Nothing wrong with that is there? Again, if you want a good book to float around a pool and devour, this one gets the job done.

10. Then Came You: A Novel - Jennifer Weiner

Again, LOVE Jennifer Weiner. I read Good In Bed years ago, and I have followed her ever since. This novel jumps right in the middle of a hot fertility topic. It goes without saying, women get testy when you start talking about ovaries and babies and such. But oh my word, this one was so good. SO very good. She's not southern, but we can forgive her for that can't we girls? Weiner can tell a story, and she's funny and smart and culturally relevant without being cliche. That's a hard gig to pull off.

11. Twenties Girl: A Novel - Sophie Kinsella

Okay, I have to tell you I started this one and quit a few times. It has a ghost. I'm not a big fan of ghost characters. But then I got desperate. I was floating serenely in the pool with a cool beverage and all the kids were at the beach so it was quiet. I had two choices: get up and hook into the WiFi in the beach house and get a new book, or continue floating and start back with Kinsella's novel. Laziness prevailed and I ended up loving the novel and the ghost character. She's kicky and fun. I want to be like her, except in a mortal sense. This one is a thumbs up!

I have several more, but you need to get reading, and I'm in the middle of one of the prettiest books I've read in a while, Rules of Civility. I am reviewing it for BlogHer this week. I'll get back to you on this one, I think it released on July 26th, so it's available now. I can't say a whole lot about it yet, but OH. MY. WORD. It is so very worth the time. I'll just say this- if Jay Gatsby and pals had lived to see The Depression, this would be his story. Mmmmmm. Mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmmm. Good stuff. Really good stuff.

In the Meantime

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 04:07:00 +0000

I've blogged exactly 3 times since summer began. I've been busy, and for the first time in a looooooooooooong time, I've been busy doing exactly what I planned on doing. I have planted and cultivated what began as a garden and can now only be described as crops. And because of my fertile crops, I've also mastered pickle making. Tomorrow? I'm making homemade pasta sauce with 30+ pounds of tomatoes. Yes, I said pounds.

I have been to the pool. I have cleaned out closets. I have seen movies. AND- I have read. I have read and read and read. Nothing really earth-shattering; mostly fun books, but oh how I love to read. I've been working on an annotated list; I'll finish it up and post it tomorrow.

But, in the meantime I thought I would update you on the goings on around here.

1. Coach has a new job as defensive coordinator at a really big high school. He has put a serious hurt on the Dustbuster this summer. The floors are begging for mercy.

2. Coach and I were having a discussion the other day about college football coaches. He called Monty Kiffin the Hemingway of football. He went on to call him a composer of defensive orchestras and I do believe he mentioned Les Miserables at some point in the conversation. In summary, I think it's safe to say that Coach does love Monty Kiffin. I don't really know much about him, and from what Coach said the other night, I don't think he knows Hemingway very well, so I figure we break even.

3. G thought it would be funny to eat a raw jalapeno. He chewed and chewed and chewed and then said, "I'm just going to let it sit and ruminate in my mouth." Y'all. Y'ALL. He used ruminate in a sentence. In the summer. It's enough to put Sarah Palin to shame.

4. And in an effort to keep it real around here, AC gave me her birthday list revisions for this week. She still has a month, but she revises the list at least weekly. This week she has asked for a Nook, Tom's shoes, iTunes gift cards, and Lay's Potato Chips- BBQ.

Lay's Potato Chips. Not. Even. Kidding.

I think I'll go read on that note.

See y'all!

Foundational Truths Regarding Football and Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Last night may have ended with this terse goodnight sentiment: "Why don't you go read I Corinthians 13 and thank the Good Lord Above that you have a wife that has promised to put up with your crap for all earthly eternity?"

We're just keeping it real around here.

I think it's safe to say that I might be running a little hot this week; the CRAZY is in full force. But, in all fairness, it was provoked. I may have come back a bit strongly, but still- PROVOKED.

You see- football is kicking up, so Coach is tense.

He's going to be at a new school with a new head coach, and he's kind of a big deal now. We're so excited. And by "we're" I mean me, Coach doesn't really do "excited."

Anyway, he's spending all his free time studying x's and o's, watching films, drawing plays, and doing whatever coaches do. And I have been, for the most part, quiet and long-suffering.

Generally, I don't do quiet or long-suffering, so it's been a challenging summer. A journey of self-exploration and personal growth, if you will.

It started simply enough. I asked him if he would be home by noon today. I have a hair appointment, and I generally like to arrive at the salon without my two underaged minions. So, I just needed to be sure he'd be home. Coach was snippy and sarcastic in his reply. See? PROVOKED.

I'm a football fan. I LOVE football. I do. Seriously. There is nothing better than the sound of marching bands and whistles and helmets colliding. There is no place I would rather be on any given Friday or Saturday in the fall. Coach will be the first to affirm that for me. I love it.

However, I can think of many places I would rather be on a hot Monday in July. One of those places is the hair salon where I will get a scalp massage, a kicky cut, and my natural color will be restored. In July I do not fret over football. I tried to explain to Coach that if only he would take the time to understand the foundational truths of high school football, he too could enjoy the remainder of a hotter-than-normal summer, girlfriend could get her highlights at the hair salon without an act of congress, and all would be well at the Momsense home.

He claimed ignorance regarding the foundational truths. Allow me to share...

Foundational Truths of High School Football

1. While there are 60 minutes of regulation playing time in a high school football game, there are only 12-15 minutes of time when there are bodies in motion and a ball in play. (Don't believe me? Record one and time it- I've done this math Homeslice.)

2. 12-15 minutes is not a lot of time. You can't even get a good eyebrow wax in 15 minutes, much less a scalp massage and a haircut.

3. 12-15 minutes of motion multiplied by 10 games is roughly 150 minutes.

4. For those 150 minutes, grown men who generally answer to "Coach" put their careers and expertise on the shoulders of a team of boys whose average age is 16.78 years old.

5. Experience and common sense tells us that counting on a team of teenage boys is not necessarily prudent and usually ends up featuring some impressive hormone-induced incompetence.

6. However, history will show that coaches will repeatedly play fast and loose with the hormonal incompetence of teenage boys in hopes of the cheap thrill of victory.

7. High school football coaches spend hundreds of hours making plans for 12 teenage boys to play with a ball for 150 minutes each SEASON.

Listen, I have spent the better part of the last 8 years observing Coach willingly put his professional life in the hands of teenage boys, which often leads me to question the existence of common sense, wisdom, and most certainly Social Darwinism.

But today? I just need 150 minutes to get my hair done- no Sunday coaching meetings, no two-a-days, no weight-lifting workouts, no preparation at all. Just 150 minutes of time to drive myself to a salon, get a scalp massage, a haircut, and a highlight.

And he calls me high maintenance.

Told you I was provoked.

See y'all!

We're in the Dog Days

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:40:00 +0000

Howdy. Mack here. Sorry you're having to listen to the likes of me, but my lady-master has had a relapse of her outdoor euphoria. She's been out in my yard all dang summer- which is all well and good except that when she's outside- I'm outside. And frankly I prefer the indoors.

I'm a black dog. It was 103 degrees here today. Try being a black dog in that kind of heat.

But lady-master is good to me; she puts out a shoddy plastic pool she bought at the Wal-Mart a few years ago. Oh, it has two holes in it now, but it's all good because the big man fixed it right up with some duct tape which doesn't really do the trick, so they put it on the slope in the yard to keep it from leaking.

Honestly, I don't know why she doesn't splurge and spend the $6.99 for a new pool. The Maltese and the Golden Retriever behind us have an in-ground pool with a diving board and big wide steps perfect for napping.

Not us, nope the two black dogs have the 2009 Wal-Mart Special.

I tried to tell her we were a washed-up high school quarterback and a Trans-Am away from being THE southern stereotype, but she just keeps filling that sorry little thing up for me.

Until today. Like I said, today it was 103 degrees- heat index of 112.

You need gills to breathe outdoors because the humidity is so high. So it got her.

Today she stayed in.

Oh she made a go of it; trying to be all outdoorsy and such. She busted out at 6:00 in her gardening clothes like she was going to do something, but sweating isn't really something she enjoys, so she watered and called it a day.

But she filled up our pool and put on some Lynyrd Skynyrd for us.

So, if I had to guess, she'll be back to her bloggy indoor self tomorrow.

See y'all!

Ahoy!

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Well you know what they say.Stuff. They say stuff.

And clearly, I am not "they" because I have had absolutely zilch to say. Nothing. Nada.

We've been busy. I'm taking full advantage of understatement here. There's not a word for the kind of busy we've been.

Then we were kidnapped by two scurvy knaves

and taken here

where this knave declared it officially summertime

and told us we were forced to do this for the week

And there's nary a dustbuster in sight.

Anyway, we're headed down to the beach for a pre-dinner swim. Then, we're descending upon Paula Deen and her restaurant tonight where, as Coach said, we'll put an epic hurt on the buffet.

I'll keep you updated on our adventures, but in the meantime, go here for a chance to win a $100 Visa Card, compliments of Purina, BlogHer, Mack, and me.

See y'all!

Canine Culinary Capers

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Watch out. I've blogged two days in a row. I told you it was a resurrection. Today I have something for you. Go here to my review page; you can win $100.

You remember this guy. This is my baby, Mack. He still likes to snuggle up on the couch and watch television with me, which is a far cry from the other boy who lives in our house. That boy just likes me to drive him places and buy him food. He also has a fondness for ripe bed sheets. So, Mack is my baby now.

He's quite a character, and he tends to be obsessive. Compulsive really. I'm just going to call it like I see it; the dog has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

I have no idea where he gets it.

Perhaps you don't know what Coach is holding. That would be the bracket he made when we decided to have a Wiii Just Dance dance contest. A BRACKET. And y'all- he was ruthless. RUTHLESS. He had no qualms about decimating the girls. Honestly, I didn't either. Apparently snow showers and 80's music bring out the worst in both of us. So, we both ended up in the championship round. Coach vs. Me. Mano-a-mano. (And before you wonder if I spelled it correctly, I did. I looked it up. It's a phrase we took from the Spanish. It means "hand to hand," so technically I guess we were really culata-a-culata. Go look it up. I'm not telling you what it means.)

Anyway, back to this guy-

He's obsessive about two things: tennis balls and food. Back in the fall his love for food got him into a little bit of trouble. Go to my review page and read all about his culinary capers.

Oh yeah, and be sure to register to win the $100 Visa Gift Card!

See y'all!

Sunday Supper: Resurrection Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Mon, 02 May 2011 01:01:00 +0000

Hey y'all! I know, I know- it's been a while. Sorry about that. We've been sucking the marrow out of our spring, but I'm resurrecting the blog this week. Seriously. And I know I've promised you "tomorrow" before and then gone all Scarlet O'Hara on you, but I promise- tomorrow I'll be back.

And I'm giving away money. Seriously.

There are a million reasons why I haven't blogged lately: 52 research papers, coaching a track team, raising children, emergency room visits, life, terrible storms, life...

Truth be told, last week I asked G to take his sheets off his bed so that I could wash them. He replied, "Noooo. I just made my bed, and besides you just changed them."

Me: "I don't remember the last time I changed them."

Him: "Mom, seriously, you just changed them like in February. Or January."

See? Blogging is the least of my worries right now. I'm 97% sure my mother just had a stroke when she read this, and obviously I need to get caught up on house work.

But I'm back.

And what better way to re-enter Blogland than with a couple of recipes? I don't have a supper menu for you, but I have two dessert recipes that will, as Coach likes to say, "make your tongue slap your brain."

Peanut Butter Banana Trifle
3 cups milk
2 (3.4 oz) packages of vanilla instant pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces sour cream
5 medium-sized bananas
1 package Nutter Butter Cookies
2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Place 3 cups milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the pudding mix and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until thickened. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream.

Cut bananas into small slices. Break cookies into bite size pieces.

Spoon half of pudding mixture into a trifle dish or 3 quart bowl. Top with bananas and cookies. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies.

Top with sweetened whipped cream (or you can cheat and use creamy Cool Whip). Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Double Chocolate Ice Box Pie
1 (9 ounce) package chocolate wafers
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar

Pulse chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely crushed. Stir in melted butter and nutmeg. Firmly press mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan. Freeze crust for 30 minutes.

Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan.

Whisk together milk and yolk mixture. Whisk yolk mixture into sugar mixture in the pan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens. Cook another minute. Remove from heat.

Microwave chopped chocolate in a bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk melted chocolate, rum, and vanilla into thickened filling. Pour into prepared pie crust. Place plastic wrap directly onto the filling (prevents a film from forming); chill 8 to 24 hours.

Beat whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream.

Eat until you're slightly ill.

Take a nap.

See y'all tomorrow!
(I'm not kidding. And I promise, there's money to be won!)

My People

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:02:00 +0000

I'm working on my anti-aging beauty extravaganza post, but this weekend we've had some much needed family time after Coach and I have both put in two 80+ hour work weeks and the kids have tagged along.

Anyway, back to the family time. We've had some. And the time has not disappointed. My people, they are a funny bunch, and the things they say make me laugh til my water breaks.

1. Friday on the way home from school G said that the football coach had asked him to play football. (Background- he played in 5th and 6th grade. He was 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide- he played line. HATED it. Now he's 6 feet tall and tips the scales at 140- he's svelte, and he's fast.) So I said to him, "You know if you played you wouldn't play line- you'd probably be a receiver."

To which he replied, "Yeah, well that's great and all except I can't catch and I don't like to get hit."

I think that decision is made.

2. AC came in this morning and said, "I had the worst dream last night- not scary bad, just really really bad."

"Really, what about?" I said.

And so goes the dream: "My hair was reallllllly long. Mom, it was so long, like you can't even believe how long. So I went to get it cut, and the lady put it in a ponytail and cut off the ponytail, except she didn't give it back to me. Then we went home and someone had done a room makeover and I had two beds and rainbow colored shelves in my closet. Then I realized I left my hair, so we went back to get it. When we got there the lady who cut it was eating a boiled egg. I asked her for my hair, and she told me that she boiled it into an egg and she was eating right then. What do you think that means?"

I have to be honest- I've thought about it for the better part of the day, and I have NO IDEA what it means, but I do think the NyQuil she took last night is a bit suspect.

3. And finally- tonight Coach and I had a baby-date while G was at a dance. We were talking about important stuff like Darius Rucker and crab-artichoke dip when he somehow managed to compare L'il Wayne (offensive rapper) to Ernest Hemingway (American Fiction Master).

And that's really all I can say about that. Except we definitely have our own brand of crazy over here.

See y'all!

Have We Met?

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:48:00 +0000

Hey There! It's been a while, and I've missed the old blog. All I can say is here at the Momsense home we've been busy. Too busy. Much too busy. I don't handle busy well; neither do my kiddos. So, Saturday night after we had spent 12 hours at a track meet and I had finished an 85-hour work week- I came undone.

Then the kids came undone. Then Coach went all Rain Man with the Dustbuster. NOT PRETTY.

Coach isn't really a fan of estrogen-related bouts of spontaneous weeping, and because the better part of his Saturday night was spent asking me "Why are you crying now?" he decided to call a time out.

Because that's what coaches do. But enough about that. I thought I'd give you a pictorial account of some of the things we've been up to lately.

1. We've had the longest, most dreary winter in the history of my life and there are only so many Wii Just Dance dance offs you can have before you have to get more creative. So one desperate Saturday we took the kids to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Here's the welcome sign. It's like they knew we were coming...

The music industry provides MUCH Nashville-esque entertainment. FABULOUS skunk hair. EPIC really.

2. Then the sun came out and it was a balmy 55 degrees, so we went to shoot guns. We do that here. Turns out I'm pretty good at it. Weird huh? I think if I kept at it long enough I could even get in a fist fight.

I call this photo "Make Yer Daddy Proud"-

3. Then? Just as the schedule started to get hairy, I contracted the flu. Oh sure.

It bugged me. I fought it. It got mad. Really, really mad. So it morphed into a sinus infection and bronchitis. I fought it again. It got even angrier and decided to pull out the big guns. Pneumonia.

The upside? I lost 10 pounds. The downside? I sound like Barry White. Still. 4 weeks later.

4. Then IT happened...

Coach had me on suicide watch. It hurt. I'll talk about it when I'm ready. You can say 40 is the new 30 all you want. You can tell me that your 40's were the best years of your life. You can throw every platitude you can think of at me, but the fact of the matter is- 40 is the back end of middle age- IF I'M LUCKY. There is a very real possibility that 40 years from now I could be sitting in a chair drooling on myself and begging people to rub my bunions.

I have to be honest- I haven't even reconciled the gray eyebrow hairs yet, so I'm pretty sure that 40 years is not enough time to reconcile authentic old-age.

But, in keeping with my firm belief that a birthday should be well-celebrated I did not disappoint.

I took a cake decorating class...

I cut my hair, and I went here...

For a big girl make-over. I'll write more about that later this week. LIFE-CHANGING products. I'll give you the secrets.

Then we partied. First we partied with the kids. It was in the 70s and sunny so we went to a new burger place in our little town...

The menu is interesting. Coach ate a lamb burger.

Then Coach and the kids made a geocache which led me to my birthday card...and a snake. Awesome.

Then Coach called a few friends and invited them to one of my favorite restaurants. I didn't cry. That was exactly the mood Coach was going for. We watched basketball, ate cheese, and laughed for several hours. And I didn't cry. Did I say that?

Coach & Me. I'm not crying...

My baby brother. He has four kids. He wasn't crying either. The kids were running amok on a farm in Alabama.

My cousin Jennifer. She's the only daughter of my mom's only sister. She's not 40; not even close. You read about her and our mothers here...

5. Then Coach and I went with friends to their cabin in the woods. We needed to get away. Coach was tired of living with her/me...

So we had to take her/me here...

Before Coach shot her/me and left her/me for dead.

The End.

I'll be back this week. I promise. We must discuss Ethiopia. I still need your help.

And we'll discuss Sephora, chocolate, and birthdays. But we won't discuss 40.

And we won't cry.

See y'all

Less Than 20 Days...

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:55:00 +0000

A looooooooong time ago in a lifetime far away I made an announcement about raising $10,000 for a small village in Ethiopia.

Then work got crazy. Then God said let it sit a while. Then I fell ill. I mean deathly ill, and I felt every bit of the 40 years I'm about to be forced to claim.

I just don't bounce back like I used to. Matter of fact, I would say there was no bouncing, merely a thud on the bathroom floor.

Anyway, I'm going Baptist Rogue on you now. This is the guilting portion of the drive. Would you please consider giving to the children and families of Dube Bute? Click on the tab on the top left- you can give directly to Dube Bute- 100% of your money goes to the people there- even the credit card processing fee is covered by Glimmer of Hope- NONE of your money goes to overhead or administrative costs.

Tomorrow I'm going to post a letter that I would greatly appreciate you circulating on your Facebook page, e-mail distribution lists, blogs, etc. You may not know me, and you may even find it humorous that 40 is literally KILLING me. But you know a child.

Imagine that child suffering from flu or bronchitis because medicine is not available. Imagine that child filthy because there is no water to bathe in. Imagine that child hungry because her food source is dying from easily cured animal diseases. Imagine that child missing her mom and dad because she's been orphaned because of illness and poverty. Imagine that child without hope because she will not know the luxury of education.

Now imagine if she were your child.

She's God's child.

He said we were to help her. Will you help her in the name of someone you know? Someone who would be honored to have his/her name attached to your donation?

Come on- you know someone who is turning 40, or 30, or 60 or 8. Celebrate their lives by giving life to a stranger a world away from you. Tell all your friends. We're almost 10% there. We need 90 families to donate $100. If you have a family of 5 that's a cheap dinner and movie with your entire crew. Can you sacrifice that for a child who has nothing? And if $100 is too steep give $1 joyfully- it's just as valuable a gift as far as God is concerned.

Help me please. It will make 40 a year of blessing.

See y'all!

Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:11:00 +0000

On a fairly regular basis my mom makes a comment about how I'm always in some sort of mess or she'll say, "There's no one like you" or "You just won't do" or my personal favorite "I don't know where you get it."

I'll show you where I get it. My mom's name is Sue. Her sister, my aunt, is Kitty. Kitty has a daughter named Jennifer (she would be my cousin). Sometimes we have Facebook conversations. They go like this:

For the record- I had just posted a picture of my children and my dogs. My children are not black, but my dogs are. I would be absolutely fine with my children being black; it's simply a genetic thing. You probably know that though.

Sue (my mom) - My, you have such cute children!

Traci (me, myself, and I) - So do you.

Kitty (aunt) - I really think the two black ones are cute.

Sue - Two black what?

Traci - The dogs Mom

Sue - I thought she surely did not mean the dogs...after all, she doesn't even like dogs.

Traci - She likes dogs- you don't like dogs.

Sue - I like dogs....just not Mac! Ivy and I get along great.

Jennifer (Kitty's daughter, my cousin) - She likes dogs. Just not dog hair. Or slobber. Or dog food in the house. Or dogs in the house. And especially not dogs on the furniture or dog puke on the carpet. But she likes other people's dogs. At their house.

Just a couple of things I need to point out. My mom doesn't like dogs. She thinks she does; she doesn't. She's not afraid of them, we grew up with them, she tolerated them. She doesn't really LIKE them.

My dad does though. He'll tell you he is indifferent as far as dogs go; he'll try to covince you that they are just a lot of trouble. But he likes dogs- he likes them a lot. Especially big ones.

I'm not sure if my aunt likes dogs or not. If she really doesn't like dogs, she fakes her fondness a bit better than my mom. She LOVES to vacuum though. My mom is fond of the vacuuming as well.

You know Coach loves to vacuum, right? He and my aunt could be related. Technically, I guess they are related now.

I'm not fond of vacuuming though. I missed that gene.

I got the dog gene.

See y'all!

Come, and I Will Make You Fishers of Men

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:43:00 +0000

So, that's what I want for my birthday. I want you to go fishing with me. In Ethiopia. I can't think of anything better than raising money so that the people you are about to see in the video will have clean water, a clinic to visit when they have basic health needs, classrooms to educate their children, and a veterinary clinic so that the animals that sustain their lives can be cared for as well.

Look at their faces. Listen to their songs. Watch little Eyasu ride into his village with his mom knowing that because he was chosen by the Alexanders, and because the Alexanders were chosen by God to do this thing, his village will have the means to sustain itself. Children won't have to die because they are starving or their water isn't clean. The elderly will exalted as they should be rather than left to die. The animals that provide food and clothing will not be ridden with disease.

I'm asking for 100 people/families to donate $100. If you could help by donating and/or spreading the word, we can help eradicate extreme poverty and give God's people some relief.

Please? It would be the best birthday present I could imagine. There is a button on the right side of the site. Click there and you can donate directly to Gladney which manages the project.

Also, please read more about the Alexanders and their love for Ethiopia on her blog, Soli Deo Gloria.

ethiopiasmile: Hope For Dube Bute from Kurt Neale on Vimeo.

See y'all!

Let's Go Fishing

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:35:00 +0000

In less than 40 days I will be 40. This spring my oldest baby will graduate from 8th grade and enter high school, and my youngest baby will graduate from elementary school and enter middle school. Have I mentioned that baby #1 gave me stretch marks and baby #2 gave me wrinkles?

It's a perfect storm.

On Sunday I was convinced I'd end up like George Clooney trapped inside a sinking ship wondering what happened to my life.

And I do believe I mentioned that I wept. The weeping didn't help.

So I continued on into Monday.

And that's when I realized that I was in the throes of a mid-life crisis.

But I digress. I know I promised you HUGE news. So here it is:

Last night I asked you to pray two things for me:

"If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will be like the noon day." Isaiah 58:10

"I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." Amos 5:24

And then I told you that God had a come to Jesus meeting with me.

It's big. It's really, really big. It's so big that there is absolutely no way that I can pull it off. This will be a total God thing.

And it's left me speechless and terrified.

We are going to raise $10,000 in 40 days for Dube Bute, a small village in Ethiopia.

I told you. HUGE.

Over the next few days I'll tell you how all of this came about, but for now can I ask you to do one thing?

Prayerfully consider giving to this cause. Your gift will help to provide water points, classrooms, medicines, and veterinary services to a village so that poverty can be wiped out one village at a time.

You can read more about it here. What I'll tell you today is this- 100% of your gift goes directly to the people of Dube Bute.

My bloggy friend Emily and her family started the campaign to raise almost $500,000 in order to save the children of this village. They are roughly $47,000 away from finishing the project.

Did I tell you that in addition to their 4 children, Emily and her husband have adopted two boys from Ethiopia? Those two boys have changed their family forever, but more importantly, because their family was changed, the lives of hundreds of Ethiopians will change.

I promise, there will be more information tomorrow. But tonight I need you to pray and consider giving.

And consider this...

And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

God told me to go fishing for my birthday. He promised a big catch. Will you come with me?
See y'all.

40 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:52:00 +0000

I realized on Sunday that I had exactly 40 days until I reached my 40th birthday. Actually, I didn't "realize" it, God told me. I know, I know- weird. Not that he would tell me something, but that He was actually making a big deal about me being 40.

Don't get me wrong, I'm making a HUGE deal out of it, mainly because I don't want it to happen. Not even a little bit, which is totally out of character for me.

Coach will be the first to tell you that I usually start my birthday celebrations a good month or so ahead of time- he says it's really like my own little Mardi Gras.

Anyway, God made a big deal out of the 40 day countdown on Sunday. And it was totally not a coincidence that it was Sunday.

It was warm and sunny, and we took the dogs to our favorite park so they could swim, and that's when He told me to get my act together (of course, I had to go home and count the days on the calendar, because HELLO- I have abysmal math skills).

And I have to be honest here - I didn't really listen because I thought it was residual Coach talk from earlier when I tried to tell him I just wanted to remain planted on the couch for the day, and that I was not at all interested in seeing the sun or feeling the 65+ temperatures outside thank you very much.

To which he replied: "Too darn bad, get your sorry butt up and let's go. You're not going to sit in the house and mope today- it's too pretty"

So I said, "Fine, I'll go to the park and mope. Loudly. In your ear. Until you wish I'd just stayed home..."

Coach says I'm hard-headed. He says I'm wound tight. He even said that sometimes I get so wound that I fight life like a wildcat.

He said that. He actually called me a wildcat.

Honestly, if I'd been a boy, he probably would have punched me in the nose at some point on Sunday. And I would have deserved it. So, being called a wildcat is not so bad. (Actually, as much as I hate to admit it, I liked that analogy- still do. Wildcats aren't all bad...I guess. I don't really know much about them to be honest, but I would be willing to bet they don't have 40th birthdays, and that is a definite plus.)

So, to wrap this part up, we went to the park and let the dogs play, and I continued to pout until we made it home. Then I pouted some more. Coach shook his head at me.

Then I cried. Cried may not be a good word; wept is probably better. I think it was Mark Twain, or maybe it was Ernest Hemingway, or it could have been William Faulkner- anyway- somebody important once said that the most effective sentence ever published was the following:

"Jesus wept."

So, in the interest of effective writing and brevity, I'll keep is short. I wept.

And because brevity went out the window six paragraphs ago, I'll keep the rest short.

I prayed. And prayed. And prayed. For TWO DAYS.

I'm not patient either. It's a virtue that is foreign to me. So, two days was a long time.

Do you know the biblical significance of the number 40? I knew it was significant, but I didn't really know why.

Turns out, the number 40 is universally recognized as significant because of the number and uniformity of its occurrence and its association with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement which ends in renewal. Huh.

I have to be honest here- I'm not really a fan of the whole trial and chastisement part, but to be brutally honest- Coach and I have been wading in that for several months now. I am pumped about the renewal part though. I'd love a renewed heart, and I won't lie. I wouldn't balk at a miraculous erasure of some fine lines around my eyes.

Anyhoo, there are 8 instances in the Bible which specifically mention a period of 40 days. And there are 15 instances which specifically mention a period of 40 years. And EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM from the Israelites to Moses to Elijah to Jesus is a story of a period of trial that ends in renewal.

In hope. In truth. In love.

Soooooooooooooo.

Tomorrow I'm going to make a HUGE announcement. HUGE. It's the biggest step of faith I have ever consciously and willingly made.

But for now, pray these with/for me:

"If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will be like the noon day." Isaiah 58:10

"I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." Amos 5:24

Stay tuned. Be sure to come back tomorrow. Tell all your friends. It's going to be good. It's going to be real good.

See y'all!

Momsense's Wild Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:49:00 +0000

Tuesday night Coach and I found ourselves sitting on our respective couches in a catatonic state trying to muster the strength to walk the 40 feet to our bedroom when I noticed the tingling sensation and an odd and not entirely pleasant smell.

I assumed it was a combination of being tired and Coach's overzealous and compulsive need to eat gratuitous amounts of fiber in the form of broccoli, nature's most pleasant smelling vegetable.

And then Coach said, "I smell a skunk."

And I thought to myself, "Yeah right. Skunk. However you want to spin it, we both know it's broccoli gas."

But then he got all wily and hyper and started walking around the house sniffing the air like a bloodhound without a cause. All the while, I continued to ignore him and was weighing the pros and cons of just collapsing on the couch for the night rather taking the long walk to the bed.

Then he opened the door to the garage, and bellowed "Holy Cow, I think one of the dogs had a run-in with a skunk."

I decided that Coach was overreacting. At the very least, I was hoping he was overreacting because oh my word the tiredness that had set in.

Did I tell you it was 11:00. In the P.M.?

And it was cold. 28 degrees to be exact. And sure enough, Ivy had been thoroughly doused in the face by a skunk. I know this because I was convinced that it was Mack who would be dumb enough to take on a skunk, so I decided to take the less pungent of the two creatures.

So. Very. Wrong.

Within moments both Ivy and I were in the front yard hacking and heaving.

And then I went inside.

Well, Coach was having none of that. It was at that moment that Coach decided to define a limit in our marriage. Apparently ridding the dog of skunk spray is a couple activity, not a husband activity.

So I got on the internet. And before you say tomato juice, let me tell you a few of things:
1. If you think I was about to pour cans of tomato juice on a neurotic dog in 28 degree weather at 11:00 in the evening, you have another thing coming.
2. Tomato juice doesn't work. It masks the smell, but doesn't get rid of it.
3. We didn't have any tomato juice.

Coach has never been more dumbfounded or put out as he was when he had to get in his truck and drive to the grocery store for peroxide, but I found a sure-fire solution to the skunk problem.

Peroxide, baking soda, and ivory dish washing soap.

Oh, and standing outside in 28 degree weather in shorts and a t-shirt soaking wet washing a neurotic dog who was more bothered by the bath than the skunk.

And if it happens again, I'll happily oblige her.

See y'all

One Flew Away From the Cuckoo's Nest

noreply@blogger.com (Traci) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Maybe I didn't mention it, but I went to San Francisco for a long weekend.

One of my dear friends from ninth grade turned 40, and it took a village and more wine than was probably prudent to get her there. To 40 that is. She lives in San Francisco.

Nat is an organizer by nature, so she organized an entire weekend of events for a group of her friends, and in the midst of fascinating conversation and lots of good food several books and films came up. It's an eclectic assortment, but I have to say a welcomed assortment. I've been trying for weeks to find a novel that could hold my interest for more than twenty minutes. I can't tell you how many novels I've started and quit because, frankly I'd rather drill a hole in my skull than continue, so I'm hoping there are a few gems.

I'll be really honest here, Natalie gave me her copy of Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stenger because I was so taken with the premise. I planned on reading it on the return trip.

Then I had to stop, because if I had continued reading while all of civilzation continued on its downward spiral into absolute savagery in the airport I was going to cross over into something, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't going to be safety. So I picked up a People and read about how Reese Witherspoon has finally found true love.

I just wonder, when did people lose all sense of decorum and good manners? Or is it just that I'm almost 40 and grumpy? I don't know. All I know is that my trip home was not an idyllic crossing into safety, rather it was really more of a One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest sort of trip.

Anyway, here are the book and film suggestions from the weekend. Enjoy.

Books
1. One Day by David Nicholls - One Day (Vintage Contemporaries Original)
2. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - Shantaram: A Novel

3. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go (Movie Tie-In Edition) (Vintage International)
4. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake - The Postmistress

5. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman - Saving CeeCee Honeycutt: A Novel
6. 1000 Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - A Thousand Splendid Suns
7. Wild Swans by Jung Chang - Wild Swans : Three Daughters of China
8. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan - Loving Frank: A Novel
9. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
10. Shadow of the Wind by Carlose Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind
11. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - The Historian
12. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner - Crossing to Safety (Modern Library Classics)
13. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah - A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
14. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance (Oprah's Book Club)
15. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen - Freedom: A Novel (Oprah's Book Club)
16. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen - The Corrections: A Novel
17. Little Bee by Chris Cleave - Little Bee: A Novel
18. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Infidel
19. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay - The Power of One: A Novel
20. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - The Pillars of the Earth
21. East of Eden by John Steinbeck - East of Eden
22. Reach for the Stars by Serge Bloch - Reach for the Stars: and Other Advice for Life's Journey
23. A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza - A Mother for Choco (Paperstar)
24. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver - What We Talk About When We Talk About Love: Stories
25. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
26. Not Quite What I Was Planning - Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure

Films
1. Requiem for a Dream - Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut)
2. A Prophet - A Prophet
3. The Secret in Their Eyes - The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)
4. White Ribbon - The White Ribbon
5. Gods & Monsters - Gods and Monsters
6. The Silence - The Silence
7. Renzel
8. Vitus - Vitus
9. 38 - Serbian - http://www.spike.com/video/38film-center-serbia/3079257
10. State of Play (the BBC TV Series)
11. Short Cuts - Short Cuts - (The Criterion Collection)

See y'all!